Russian forces have intensified their offensive efforts in the Luhansk region over the past week, with a slight increase in operations near Kupyansk and Lyman, according to the Ukrainian General Staff.
In its latest update published Thursday, the General Staff said 25 settlements had come under artillery fire and Russian forces had carried out several air strikes in the area.
Some analysts have suggested Russia may be starting a new offensive in the Luhansk region, while adding that the movement was not yet significant.
The Institute for the Study of War said Russian forces were “gradually beginning an offensive” in the area, noting Russian operations had “increased markedly over the past week.”
However it added that Ukrainian forces had been able to prevent Moscow’s armies from securing significant gains.
CNN teams on the ground noted that the tempo of attacks had increased slightly in the past few days, but it was “nowhere near the energy that could be described as an offensive.”
Kupyansk and Lyman were seized early in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, on February 28 and May 27 last year respectively.
They were then re-taken by Ukrainian forces during a counter offensive in September 2022.