Sept 17 (Reuters) - Ukraine continues offensive operations in the northeast of the country while Russian forces have established a defensive line between the Oskil River and the town of Svatove, British military intelligence said on Saturday.

"Russia likely sees maintaining control of this zone as important because it is transited by one of the few main resupply routes Russia still controls from the Belgorod region of Russia," the Defence Ministry said in a regular Twitter update https://bit.ly/3BJY1ZQ.

"Russia will likely attempt to conduct a stubborn defence of this area, but it is unclear whether Russia's front line forces have sufficient reserves or adequate morale to withstand another concerted Ukrainian assault," it said.

(Reporting by Jaiveer Singh Shekhawat in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)