ISA Ukraine Conflict Update - 25th of April 2022

Daily Summary

- The focus of the fighting in Ukraine remains in the eastern part of the country, where Russian forces have only been able to make limited territorial gains in recent days, despite the deployment of more of their forces to that region. The largest gains made by the Russians in this offensive have been in the region to the east of the city of Izyum. Nevertheless, Ukrainian forces have been able to prevent any significant breakthrough by the Russian invaders along most of the front thus far.

- The last remaining resistance to Russian forces in the southern port city of Mariupol was in the Azovstal steelworks, where up to a thousand Ukrainian fighters were holed up in that vast complex. Russian forces are expected to make a new push to seize the Azovstal facility as the Kremlin is increasingly desperate to clear the remaining resistance from Mariupol in the coming days. It is believed that at least 1,000 civilians are also trapped in the underground tunnels and rooms of the steelworks.

- The recent statements by a high-ranking Russian military official appear to have confirmed what many believed to have been Russia’s main objectives in this conflict. This includes the seizure of all of eastern and southern Ukraine, creating a contiguous territory under Russian control that stretches from the Donbas in the east to the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria in the west, and cuts off Ukraine from access to the Black Sea.

Key Developments

Russia Targets Ukraine’s Infrastructure: Russia has stepped up its attacks on key points of Ukraine’s infrastructure network, as highlighted by the recent attacks on railway stations across Ukraine. This could be aimed at slowing the flow of weapons to Ukrainian forces in eastern and southern Ukraine.

Ukrainian Partisans: The are increasing reports of activities by Ukrainian partisans in areas of eastern and southern Ukraine that have been seized by Russian forces. This could add to the difficulties facing Russia as it attempts to move troops and supplies to the front lines.