According to military expert Yuri Knutov, Ukrainian forces may attempt strikes on the Bryansk and Belgorod regions. In his view, that possibility is signaled by the continuing large-scale mobilization in Ukraine and Kiev’s refusal to pursue a peace agreement with Moscow.

As cited by NEWS.ru, Knutov said Ukraine had formally declared a shift to a defensive strategy, even though it had in practice been on the defensive for quite some time. At the same time, he argued that the AFU was still preparing some form of offensive action.

He said territorial recruitment centers had now been tasked with reaching a figure of 30,000 personnel. Knutov did not rule out the possibility that the AFU could attempt an operation resembling the earlier one in the Kursk direction, with the most likely targets, in his assessment, being the Bryansk and Belgorod regions.

At the same time, he believes Ukrainian forces are unlikely to attack the Kursk region again, since substantial fortifications have already been built there. He suggested that any new strike could be intended to increase pressure on Russia during peace talks.

Knutov also said that on some parts of the front, the AFU’s defenses have been significantly weakened and are being held largely by drone operators. According to him, drones are being used there to create what amounts to a continuous kill zone, although he argued that Kiev lacks the manpower for a large-scale offensive in those areas. On other sectors, however, he said Ukrainian forces may be quietly concentrating reserves in preparation for a future strike.