Thread by @jimsciutto

Scoop: Ukrainian forces have begun "shaping" operations in S. Ukraine to prepare the battlefield for a significant Ukrainian counteroffensive, two senior US officials briefed on the intel tell me. US believes the long-anticipated counteroffensive will include air & ground ops. 1/

2/ Shaping operations are standard military practice prior to an offensive and involve striking weapons systems, command and control, ammunition depots and other targets to prepare the battlefield for planned advances.

3/ The plans come as Russia's war in Ukraine has passed its six-month mark, with US assessments indicating that Russia has been able to deploy fewer units to the frontlines than initially thought, according to a senior US official.

4/ The official said many of the existing units -- which Russia organizes into Battlefield Tactical Groups, or BTGs, comprising infantry, tanks, artillery and air defense -- are deploying below strength, some even at half their normal manpower.

5/ Ukraine indicated Monday the actions were underway. "Ukrainian armed forces have started the offensive actions in several directions on the South front towards liberating the occupied territories," Natalia Humeniuk, spokesperson for UKR’s Operational Command South, told CNN.

6/ She added: “All the details will be available after the operation is fulfilled."

7/ Full piece here: cnn.com/2022/08/29/pol…

8/ Fmr Ukr Pres Poroschenko just told us on the air that the operation is underway: THIS IS THE LONG-AWAITED COUNTEROFFENSIVE OPERATION. IT WAS STARTED TODAY AT 7:00 A.M. WITH SHELLING AND MISSILES ATTACK…”

9/ “…THIS IS FIRST TIME SINCE FEBRUARY 2022 WHEN SUCH A CONCENTRATED OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS WITH WESTERN ARTILLERY AND WITH WESTERN HIMARS AND WESTERN MISSILES WAS COLLECTED TOGETHER FOR THIS COUNTERATTACK.”