Donetsk, Feb 5 - DAN. Ukrainian armed forces are planning to start a new war in Donbass in the period from March to June; the offensive against DPR and LPR will begin on four axes, DPR Operations Command deputy commander Eduard Basurin said on Monday citing intelligence reports.

“The plan commits military formations and units, supported by artillery, to penetrating the security zone, breaking through DPR and LPR forward defence lines and seizing advantage ground,” Basurin said.

Kiev will deliver the main strike north and south of Donetsk. “Two flanking strikes will be delivered on Verkhnetoretskoye and Ilovaisk axes (17th separate tank brigade and 93rd separate mechanised brigade) and at Maximov, Starobeshevo and Ilovaisk (1st separate tank brigade, 14th separate mechanised brigade and part of 30th separate mechanised brigade/tank brigade) in an attempt to cross the contact line and break through DPR forward defensive positions, and, using follow-up echelons, to split DPR units and encircle and seize Donetsk,” he said.

The next objective is to seize Lutugino-Ilovaisk-Komsomolskoye-Pobeda stronghold.

The strike on southern axis will target Sakhanka (36th separate marines brigade, 79th separate airmobile brigade) is expected to contain our forces on Mariupol axis and prevent their deployment to Donetsk axis,” Basurin said. Ukraine then will bolster efforts to reach Novoazovsk and seize the Sea of Azov shore.

According to Ukrainian General Staff’s plan, this will enable it to defeat DPR and reach the border with the Russian Federation.

Ukraine will invade LPR on Krymskoye and Lutugino axes (72nd and 92nd separate mechanised brigades). Augmenting the efforts of paratroopers (80th separate assault brigade and 81st separate airmobile brigade), it aims to defeat LPR and come to the LPR border with Russia.

An increasing airborne monitoring of DPR forces’ positions, massing of equipment at the contact line and ammunition and fuel and lubricants frontline replenishment present evidence of Kiev’s plans, Basurin said.

“I wish to note that the blitzkrieg planned by the Ukrainian army will not bring the desired result; in case of armed aggression against the Republics the enemy will suffer irrecoverable losses,” Basurin said. *jk