Dear friends, today we will talk about the situation at the front. After it became clear that Putin and Trump would meet in Alaska, Russia seems to have intensified its assault on the front in Donbas and encircled important cities. This is undoubtedly connected with the meeting in Alaska.
Has Pokrovsk been encircled?
Over the last day, a number of sources have written that Russia has achieved success in the assault it is conducting to fully seize Donetsk oblast. Recently, a post by an officer of the “Azov” battalion directed to the defense in the Pokrovsk direction has been spreading in Ukrainian channels. According to him, Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad are almost encircled by the Russians. Kostiantynivka is also on the verge of encirclement. The Russians are moving towards Kramatorsk and Druzhkivka.
According to the officer, the Russians’ advance is due to errors in the command of the Ukrainian troops, a shortage of military personnel, and an incorrect strategy. Addressing Zelensky, Krotevych wrote: “Mr. President, I don’t know what information they are giving you, but the situation is very difficult.”
According to some publications, the Russians have broken through Ukraine’s defensive line in this direction and advanced 18 km. It is said that they are currently advancing in light vehicles and on motorcycles and do not have strong protection. Apparently, Ukraine, having resigned itself to losing Donbas, does not intend to spend much force on a counterattack in this direction.
If Russia continues this advance and reaches Kramatorsk, Sloviansk and Dobropillia, this will mean that Donetsk oblast is fully seized. So far Kyiv has not commented on these losses, but if this information is confirmed, Ukraine will have lost the most territory in a short time since 2024.
Will Donbas fall?
For Russia, the program minimum in the war is precisely the full seizure of Donbas. Over the past year, the Russians have paid almost no attention to other directions and have mainly pressed to fully seize Donetsk oblast. Once it became clear that Vladimir Putin would go to Alaska, the attack intensified especially. Apparently, the Russian military leadership has been ordered to seize Donbas completely at any cost so that Putin goes to the meeting with Trump as a victorious commander.
If the Russians manage this, Putin will indeed have a very strong position at the negotiations in Alaska. Because Moscow in recent years has emphasized that the aim of the war is not the full conquest of Ukraine but the capture of Donbas. That is, at the meeting with Trump, Putin may say: “Mr. President, we have achieved our goal in the war — Donbas is fully seized, well then, now I will listen to you.” In such a situation, it will not be easy for Trump to put pressure on Russia.
That’s how it is, dear friends. Before the important meeting that will decide the fate of the war, Russia may achieve a strategic success. This will worsen Kyiv’s position at the talks. We will monitor the situation. Don’t stray from Kun.uz. Don’t forget to subscribe to our pages on social networks.
Prepared by Utkir Jalolkhonov.
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