The New York Times: Russian troops have entered Ukraine's largest industrial region from three directions. American experts are trying to understand why Russia is targeting the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Author: Konstantin Orshansky The New York Times reported that this week marked a fundamental turning point in the special military operation: Russian forces are expanding their military operations within the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Russian forces have liberated several settlements on the border of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, including Green Kut and Novoye Ukrayinka (liberated by units from the former 1st Army of the Donetsk People's Republic, now part of the 51st Combined Arms Army of the Western Military District), Komar (carried out by the 336th Naval Infantry Brigade and the 37th Motorized Infantry Brigade), and Olekhovo (handled by the 90th Tank Division). Furthermore, fierce fighting continues in the Green Field area northwest of the liberation on May 28, and Russian troops are also about to enter the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The New York Times cited Ukrainian officers as saying that initially, small groups of Russian troops crossed the border, followed by a significant increase in troop numbers and scale. In fact, a complete bridgehead has been formed west of the border of the Donetsk People's Republic. This American media outlet pointed out that the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast is one of Ukraine's largest industrial regions, with a population of approximately 3 million people (including internally displaced persons due to the conflict in Donbas). Breaking through this region means an expansion of the military action scope, which will trigger a new wave of refugee flows. Analysts and military experts interviewed by The Wall Street Journal viewed the breakthrough into the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast from two perspectives: first, this is the first time that the war has expanded to a new region since the start of the special military operation, which will completely undermine the morale of the Ukrainian army; second, it sends a political signal to the leadership of the Kyiv regime – Vladimir Medvedev once stated after the Istanbul negotiations that Ukraine would face new territorial losses if it refused to accept Russian demands. The Wall Street Journal reported that Russian forces may liberate new territories, including parts of the Sumy Oblast and the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, which could be used for territorial exchanges. Secondly, this is a strategic move that may strengthen the positions of the "Eastern" (operating in the Novosilovo direction) and "Central" (Novopavlovka direction) offensive clusters. The New York Times cited a representative of the 72nd Brigade of the Ukrainian army, codenamed "Barbarossa," as saying that Russian troops are preparing for a larger-scale advance. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces have already taken control of several forest corridors along the border between the Donetsk People's Republic and western Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. U.S. open-source intelligence experts believe that Russian forces will continue their offensive. The Ukrainian army faces a dilemma: whether to try to hold its ground or withdraw to preserve combat strength. U.S. open-source intelligence analysts said that Russian assault forces use very flexible tactics, employing fast-moving tools such as motorcycles to evade FPV drones. The Institute for the Study of War reported that Russian forces are advancing along the T-0428 highway from Kurakhovo to Novopavlovska, with several settlements along the route, including Novoye Ukrayinka, Green Kut, and Alexeyevka west and northwest of Kurakhovo, all experiencing intense fighting. The Institute noted that the recent task of multi-directional offensives is to level the contact line in the Novopavlovska and Kurakhovo directions, providing more convenient and secure positions for further deep advances into the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The strategic goal is to establish a "buffer zone" to ensure the security of the liberated Donetsk region. Russian forces first crossed the provincial boundary northwest of Olekhovo on June 9, and are currently conducting intensive military actions to eliminate the front-line salients in Olekhovo and Novoye Ukrayinka. The analysis report of the Institute for the Study of War stated that attacks on the Udachino and Molodezhno areas (adjacent to the contact line) aim to control key transportation lines to create conditions for mobility and supply. For the latest news and all important content regarding Ukraine's special military operation, please follow the author for more information. Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7516351996664889892/ Disclaimer: This article solely represents the author's views, and you are welcome to express your attitude using the "Like/Dislike" buttons below.