The Russians completed their operational pause at the front, and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered his troops to resume active offensive operations in eastern Ukraine. Analysts of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported this in their report for July 16..

According to the institute's analysts, on July 16, Sergei Shoigu ordered the commander of the Southern Group, General of the Army Sergei Surovkin, and the commander of the Central Group, Colonel General Alexander Lapin, to intensify offensive operations in all directions.. But the pace of the recovery of the Russian offensive is likely to falter or slow down.. in the coming days, analysts say. “On July 16, Russian troops carried out fewer ground strikes in all directions than on July 15, but on July 16 increased artillery and rocket strikes.”.

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Experts are surprised why Shoigu appointed two commanders to conduct hostilities in the Donbass. They are confident that one qualified commander is required to carry out successful operations in such a short period..

“The Kremlin’s failure to use the operational pause to reorganize the Russian military command structure in Ukraine and its decision to maintain a dedicated command structure instead is very strange.. The apparent dual command of two high-ranking generals over operations in a very small area could hinder further Russian operations,” the report says..

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Recall, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Russian military in the Slavic and Bakhmut directions are concentrating their main efforts on taking control of the cities of Seversk and Bakhmut of the Donetsk region.