Russian forces are setting up a wagon barrier stretching 30 kilometers in Donetsk Oblast. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported – citing satellite images and Ukrainian Telegram channels – that the barrier, nicknamed “Tsar’s train”, could be another defensive line against the advance of Ukrainian troops. Satellite images show the railcar line stretching from Olenivka, south of the city of Donetsk, to Volnovakha, north of Mariupol. The barrier was built with more than 2,100 freight cars. The railway barrier is about six kilometers from the current front line at Novomykhailivka.
Analysts say the line “is located in an area of the front that was relatively inactive when Russian forces began construction,” although Russian troops have recently made “marginal” progress in the area. The barrier appears to be a new Russian defensive line, but the ISW said the occupying forces may have “other purposes” in mind. Russia’s defense lines in the occupied regions proved difficult to penetrate, blocking the Ukrainian Army’s counter-offensive operations on the eastern and southern fronts. Ukrainian troops are also now on the defensive in Donetsk Oblast, where they face the Russian attack on the town of Avdiivka. Yesterday, Kiev reported that Moscow had deployed several armored groups in an attempt to take over the city. The war continues unabated.
Source: IL Tempo
John Cameron is a journalist at The Nation View specializing in world news and current events, particularly in international politics and diplomacy. With expertise in international relations, he covers a range of topics including conflicts, politics and economic trends.
