Russian forces have made further territorial gains near Vuhledar in southeastern Ukraine, according to the latest intelligence update from the UK Ministry of Defence.
The report indicates that Russian troops are now posing a threat to the town from multiple directions, increasing pressure on Ukrainian defensive positions.
The Ministry of Defence stated:
“Russian forces have made further gains in the vicinity of Vuhledar in south-eastern Ukraine. It is highly likely that Russian forces now threaten the town from three sides. They are already contesting the outskirts of the town, against which Russia has made repeated assaults since 2022. It is likely that Russian forces will continue to pressure this heavily defended part of the line over the next week.”
Meanwhile, in central Donetsk oblast, Russian forces are engaged in battles within the eastern half of Toretsk and areas south of Pokrovsk. Progress in this area has been described as slow, particularly around the town of Chasiv Yar.
“In central Donetsk oblast, Russian forces are fighting within the eastern half of Toretsk and south of Pokrovsk. They have made only slow progress around Chasiv Yar. It is likely that Russian forces are attacking multiple objectives simultaneously to stretch Ukrainian forces. However, this has also prevented Russia from massing forces on a single point of the line to have a more significant effect,” the Ministry added.
According to the report, the Russian strategy appears to involve attacking multiple locations simultaneously in an effort to disperse Ukrainian forces. This approach, however, has made it difficult for Russia to concentrate its efforts on a single front and achieve larger breakthroughs.
The situation in the region remains fluid, with both Russian and Ukrainian forces continuing to engage in intense combat.
Russia seems to be willing to sacrifice large parts of Kursk to gain metres of ground in Donetsk.
Same tactics of attrition, make lots of attacks, take lots of losses, repeat until the UKR defence runs out of troops and ammo.
There is some concern that beyond (west of) Pokrovsk, there are no more prepared defences, that might be the breakthrough moment for Russia.
Russia is not sacrificing Kursk, they will have that situation well under control, when the Ukrainians either run out of steam or withdraw the Trap Door will be closed – not too dissimilar to what happened to the Germans in WW2.
Yeah, understood, but I think UKR was hoping the Kursk Incursion would draw lots of Russian forces away from the pressure points in Donetsk.
Probably limited by transport infrastructure?
That’s because Pokrovysk is the linch pin of the ridge line. Once breached the whole line will be gone so Ukraine might be forced to retreat quite a long way back to a river frontage or next set of hills
Its hardly Blitzkrieg is it? What a completely pointless war and waste of life and resources.
WW1 tactics with similar loss of live: that didn’t end too well for the Czarist regime.
What stalemate? It is important to know the difference between a stalemate and a war of attrition. It seems to me that Ukraine keeps giving ground and feigning weakness in order to motivate Russia to maintain it’s costly offensive and exhaust it’s ability to wage war sooner.
Looks like the Kursk gamble succeeded in terms of slowing down the rate of loss in eastern Ukraine- the Russian replacement forces are having to be diverted to Kursk instead of replacing losses in Army Group Tsentir. There was obviously a lag in seeing the effect. Latest losses for Russian forces in Ukraine itself have taken a jump in the last couple of weeks too- 10-20% increase in casualties. Not sure what that’s about at the moment, but will be interesting to see if anything comes out about it. I did read that the casualty rate has now begun to… Read more »