Russian forces show signs of cooperation in eastern Ukraine

Moscow has made a lot of headway after the capture of the city of Lysychansk in eastern Ukraine by Russian forces, while its forces in the south have shown signs of better cooperation, according to western officials.

One official said the sustainability of Russia's attacks on Ukraine was challenging but it remains highly uncertain whether Russia will secure the limits of Donetsk oblast this year Russia has made some significant command changes, including the advances on the Donbas from the south.

The official said:

Even by the standards of Russian general officers he is a controversial figure. It is not clear whether his influence led to the recent successes around Lysychansk, but there certainly has been better cooperation between groups of forces on the Russian side than we saw in the earlier phases of the war.

Long-range weapons systems are starting to make a significant operational difference for Ukraine, as there are very serious issues over Russian munitions and morale, an official said.