Go big or go home! That's the spirit Dylan! My money has been a Southern attack towards Melitopol, but my mind has been changing.

Kherson and Kharkiv were the worst kind of successes because it was easy for Russia to view them as retreats. That is, Russia had a huge physical defeat, but emotionally, it didn't register.

Russia is doing fine holding territory, but it's morale is cracking.

Therefore, it's possible Ukraine may want the counter offensive to be more about breaking the backs of Russia psychologically. To cause as much death and destruction as possible (Russian civilians too). That would be an attack into the Donbas. Attack so quickly with no options for Russian surrenders.

It's how the Allies had to end WWII. But that isn't highlighted in the history books.