Military expert and retired Colonel Mikhail Khodarenok said a possible Russian offensive from the north could make it easier for Russian forces to advance in Donbass.

He argued that such a move would force the Ukrainian command to redeploy part of its reserves from other sectors of the front, potentially weakening those areas and easing pressure on Russian troops elsewhere. In his view, this approach would also be more practical than launching a direct assault on the fortified areas of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk.

Khodarenok said the concept would involve striking where the opponent least expects it, bypassing fortified positions from the rear and forcing Ukrainian troops to withdraw in an organized manner.

At the same time, he stressed that this remains only a hypothetical scenario. The actual plans of the Russian command are classified and unknown to most observers, including military analysts.

According to Khodarenok, if such an operation were carried out, it could help Russian forces achieve their objective in Donbass.

Earlier, Ukrainian National Guard commander Alexander Pivnenko said Russian troops could launch an offensive near Ukraine’s northern borders in an attempt to create a buffer zone up to 10 kilometers deep.