Russian offensive in Chernihiv Oblast is realistic, Ukraine's commander-in-chief says: "We are preparing for this"

Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, believes Russia could launch an offensive on Chernihiv Oblast from Bryansk Oblast.

Source: Syrskyi in an interview with TSN, a Ukrainian news outlet

Quote: "Russian leader Vladimir Putin tasked the Russian General Staff with calculating different options for conducting an offensive operation, including from Belarusian territory, with the aim of capturing Kyiv and other territories.

And the Russian General Staff calculated several courses of action. Given recent events, I don't think the leadership of Belarus would dare to use its own territory and hand it over to the aggressor as a bridgehead."

Details: Syrskyi added that Ukraine is also considering such a scenario, but said he believes the most likely option is an offensive in the north, from Russia's Bryansk Oblast towards Chernihiv Oblast.

Quote: "The most likely scenario, which is confirmed by several pieces of evidence, is possible offensive action in the north from the territory of Bryansk Oblast in the Russian Federation. This is a realistic scenario and, of course, we are preparing for it."

More details: In his view, by opening a new area of active hostilities, Russia would seek to draw Ukrainian troops away from the east and south and extend the front line.

Background:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko had one week to remove relay equipment used to guide Russian drone strikes against Ukrainian cities, otherwise Ukraine will do it itself.
• Ukrainian border guards have recorded a certain reduction in the intensity of Russian attack drone incursions via Chernihiv Oblast and no mass flights of Shahed drones along the Belarus-Ukraine border in recent days.
• Later, Zelenskyy said that signal repeaters on the territory of Belarus that had been helping Russian drones strike Ukraine ceased operating on 22 June.

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