The top priority for the de-occupation of Melitopol, Zaporozhye region is to stop the movement of Russian logistics through Mariupol and Melitopol to Crimea. This was stated by the former commander of the US Army in Europe, General Ben Hodges in an interview with NV.

According to Hodges, the road through Mariupol and Melitopol to Crimea is a kind of land bridge that connects the occupied peninsula with the mainland.

“Therefore, Ukrainian forces should be able to destroy them, strike at logistics, transport, railways, headquarters along this land bridge or in Melitopol, or in Mariupol, or somewhere in between,” the general said..

Hodges noted that it is likely that special forces, partisans or someone else will be able to break these chains so much that Crimea becomes isolated.. This, in his opinion, should be a priority for the Ukrainian troops..

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The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, we recall, announced the occupation of more advantageous positions in the Zaporozhye direction as a result of offensive actions. At the same time, the head of the joint press center of the Defense Forces of the Tauride direction, Yevgeny Yerin, called the stories about the offensive there "

In turn, military expert Konstantin Mashovets wrote on his Facebook that 25-28 Russian armored personnel carriers are operating in the Zaporozhye direction.. In his opinion, their goal is, if not to advance towards Zaporozhye, then at least to keep their lines in the Melitopol and Berdyansk directions..