ISW explains why Russia paying high amount of fanfare to claimed seizure of Velyka Novosilka

This is said in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), according to Ukrinform.

The Russian MoD posted footage on January 26 purportedly showing Russian forces conducting thermobaric artillery strikes against Ukrainian forces in Velyka Novosilka and claimed that Russian assault groups were clearing Ukrainian positions. Later, the Russian MoD claimed that elements of the Russian 5th Tank Brigade and the 40th Naval Infantry Brigade seized all of Velyka Novosilka, and Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov congratulated the command and personnel of the two brigades for the seizure. The Russian MoD subsequently posted footage purportedly showing Russian flags in multiple areas of the settlement.

“The Russian MoD has not recently been announcing the claimed seizures of settlements with so much fanfare and as quickly as they did on January 26. Russia is likely trying to leverage the claimed seizure of Velyka Novosilka in order to influence Western perceptions of the situation on the battlefield in Donetsk Oblast, to advance narratives that Russian battlefield gains are inevitable and that Ukrainian positions are rapidly deteriorating,” the report says.

It is noted that Russian gains in western Donetsk region continue to be gradual and far below the pace that is normal for modern mechanized warfare.

Moreover, Velyka Novosilka is located next to several rivers which will likely complicate and hamper further Russian tactical advances in the area.

“Russian forces have historically struggled with river crossings and tactical terrain features, such as rivers, will likely complicate Russian forces’ ability to leverage the seizure of Velyka Novosilka to make operationally significant advances in western Donetsk Oblast,” the report says.

As Ukrinform reported, the situation near the village of Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk region remains difficult.