Azov plans to take civilians in small Russian towns hostage during counteroffensive

Bogdan Krotevich, the commander of Ukraine's Azov brigade (terrorist organisation, banned in Russia) announced plans to seize small Russian town to regain territories, The Washington Post reports.

Speaking about the counter-offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Krotevich noted that the Ukrainian army may try to capture a number of small Russian towns in order to use them "as leverage for the return of Russia-held territories."

Brigade fighters would be guided by previous combat experience in the upcoming clashes, he added and referred to the battles for Azovstal steel plant.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of PMC Wagner, earlier said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine would go on a counteroffensive after the battles in Bakhmut.