Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has ordered the military to step up operations in Ukraine. Analysts say Russia may resume a full-scale ground offensive in a bid to take full control of the eastern region of Donetsk.

The Russian Defence Ministry said on Saturday that Shoigu had inspected troops involved in the operations in Ukraine.

It said Shoigu ordered that operations be intensified to prevent Ukrainian strikes on civilian infrastructure and residents in Donbas and elsewhere.

The ministry also said Russian forces carried out missile attacks across Ukraine, including against Siversk, a stronghold in Donetsk. It said more than 600 Ukrainian troops were killed in two days.

The Russian military is believed to have been focusing on reorganizing its forces in preparation for the next full-scale ground offensive. This comes following its July 3 declaration that it had taken full control of the eastern region of Luhansk.

A US think tank says Russian forces are likely ending their operational pause.

The Institute for the Study of War has indicated it believes that Russian forces will likely again intensify ground assaults to take control of the Donetsk region.

A spokesperson for the Ukrainian military said on Saturday that the Russian military is preparing for the next stage of its offensive.

Ukrainian forces appear poised to fight back with weapons provided by the West, such as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS.

The British defense ministry said on Sunday that Russia is reinforcing its defensive positions across the occupied areas of southern Ukraine.

It noted that Ukrainian forces have been applying pressure on the Russian defensive line in the southern region of Kherson for over a month.

The ministry indicated it believes that responding to anticipated Ukrainian offensives is one of the aims of Shoigu's order to boost operations reports NHK.