Military expert and colonel reserve of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Sergei Grabsky, stated that Russian troops are making significant efforts to capture six key Ukrainian cities.
This was reported by URA-Inform with reference to 24tv.ua.
He noted that just a month and a half ago, Pokrovskoye posed a major threat to Russian forces, as it could become a starting point for a flank attack, which could lead to the defeat of enemy groups.
In response to this, the occupiers slowed the pace of the offensive on Pokrovsk in order to straighten out their flanks. However, according to Grabsky, capturing this city is not the main goal of Russian troops. At the moment, they are focused on reaching the line limited by such settlements as Bolshaya Novosyolka, Konstantinopol, Andreyevka, Pokrovsk, Konstantinovka and Chasov Yar.
Grabsky noted that the Russians are making great efforts to carry out these tasks, but expressed doubts about their ability to succeed in these areas. One of the most difficult areas, according to him, remains the fighting in the Kurakhovsky direction, where, due to the enemy's breakthrough, Ukrainian troops are forced to leave their positions to avoid encirclement.
“We will be forced to retreat from these positions. There is no point in holding Kurakhovo, because this city has been destroyed by the Russian occupation army,” he said.
Also, according to the expert, Russian troops are using the tactic of aligning the flanks, including in the Toretskaya area, where the situation remains tense. Grabsky added that Pokrovsk is not the main object of concentration of Russian forces, since they act in a comprehensive manner, striving to fulfill the task set by Vladimir Putin back in April 2022 – to reach the administrative borders of the Donetsk region.
Grabsky noted that active actions are also noted in the Velyka Novosilka area. In addition, Russian troops are trying to break through to the highway connecting Kurakhovo with Pokrovsk, with the aim of reaching the border of the Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions. The expert emphasized that the Russians want to demonstrate the fulfillment of at least one part of their task at the front.
Recall that earlier it was reported that Zelensky declared his readiness to end the war without occupied territories.
