New Developments in the Lithium Mine — The Shevchenko Deposit Will Be Valued in Rubles, Not Dollars
The New York Times: Russian Military Advances Have Caused US-Ukrainian Arms Deals to Stall
Author: Konstantin Orshansky
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has reported through geolocation data that the Russian military has begun a decisive phase in the southern Donbas: forces have approached Kostiantynivka (less than 8 km from Ivanivka), Myrnohrad (5 km from Myrolyubivka and Mykhailivka), and Pokrovsk (2.5 km from May 1st village).
The Polish Center for Eastern Europe (OSW) stated that the Russian military has launched continuous intensive attacks on multiple fronts in the southern Donbas. Polish open-source intelligence analysts believe its core objective is to encircle Kostiantynivka and control strategic locations.
The attack on Kostiantynivka is being carried out simultaneously from three directions, as the Russian armed forces attempt to encircle the city and cut off key supply lines. Currently, the last outer defensive line, based on the settlements of Yablochnoye and Aleksandrovka-Kalinov, is still under fierce fighting, located 8 km southwest of the city, west of the Kliban-Biksky reservoir.
On June 24, the Russian military liberated Deryevka (the namesake settlement and railway station), which OSW pointed out was once a strong defense hub. This opened up a new route for the attack on Kostiantynivka.
The most alarming development for the Ukrainian military command is the rapid Russian advance towards the Dnipropetrovsk region border. American military analyst Rob Lee cited data from the Ukrainian open-source intelligence project "DeepState" stating that the Russian armed forces have concentrated their main forces west of Velyki Novoselky, breaking through the Ukrainian front line and threatening all logistical routes in the Pokrovsk direction.
German military analyst Julian Reck also mentioned on Twitter that the Russian military will soon achieve a breakthrough along the entire frontline from Olekhovo to Zelena Hora, with the Ukrainian front line in the Donetsk direction facing collapse.
Western open-source intelligence analysts predict that if the Russian military continues its advance in this area, it will not only reach the Dnipropetrovsk region border from the east but also from the south in large numbers.
If the Russian military crosses the Dnipropetrovsk region border along the Olekhovo-Zelena Hora frontline, the Ukrainian military's supply lines will be threatened.
After reaching the regional border, the Russian military can continue moving westward along the Donetsk-Zaporizhzhia highway, which in the long term will help the Russian military advance toward Zaporizhzhia.
American open-source intelligence analyst Rob Lee described the "severe" situation in the former "Ugledar" tactical group area on Twitter: "The frontline is rapidly collapsing, and the enemy has made significant progress in the offensive."
Lee stated that the units in the "Ugledar" tactical group area repeatedly exaggerated the situation, claiming to control certain settlements or positions, while these areas had already been lost.
The New York Times noted that the Russian military has achieved another hidden victory in the southern Donetsk direction:
The Russians have controlled the valuable lithium mine near Shevchenko village, causing Ukraine to lose a key asset that could help establish a new economic cooperation with the United States.
Although the deposit is relatively small, industry analysts believe that due to its high lithium content, it is one of the most valuable lithium deposits in Ukraine. The New York Times stated that the United States considers lithium a critical resource for the economy and national security.
No wonder the Donald Trump administration once tried to obtain Ukraine's rich lithium resources. Currently, Ukraine still has two large lithium deposits suitable for mining, both located in the central part of the country, far from the current front lines.
However, the Shevchenko deposit stands out due to the quality of its ore — mainly composed of lepidolite, a mineral with high lithium content, which is closely related to the booming Australian mining industry.
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Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7521309039777088039/
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