London/Berlin
British intelligence cites two possible reasons why soldiers have dug hundreds of kilometers of trenches in Russia.
Russian soldiers apparently have strong defenses established on the Russian front and in occupied Ukrainian territories. As British secret services report, some of the systems are also located deep in Russia.
“Images show that Russia has made special efforts to fortify the northern border of occupied (Ukrainian peninsula) Crimea,” Britain’s Defense Ministry said on Monday. In addition, there are hundreds of kilometers trenches been excavated on internationally recognized Russian territory, including in the Belgorod and Kursk oblasts bordering Ukraine.
War on Ukraine: Why Russia is building defenses
The Department of Defense has given two possible justifications for the defensive installations. “The defenses underscore the deep concern of the Russian leadership that Ukraine could make a major breakthrough,” it said. “But some work was probably commissioned by local commanders and politicians to support the official line that Russia is ‘threatened’ by Ukraine and NATO.”
The Ministry of Defense in London has published daily information on the course of the war since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, citing intelligence information. Moscow accuses London of a disinformation campaign. (soj/dpa)
Ukraine Crisis – The most important news about the war
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