The Russians are trying to create preconditions for advancing from the directions of Chasiv Yar and Toretsk towards Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast, says Serhii Zgurets, the head of Defense Express, according to Espreso.
Zgurets says that Russian forces currently control the central part of Toretsk and the western approaches, but a spoil tip located in the north remains the most significant element of Ukraine’s defense.
“The Russians are trying to create preconditions to move towards Kostiantynivka after capturing Toretsk. However, Ukrainian defenders have been holding Toretsk for more than seven months,” the expert explains.
He recalls reports in Russian sources, which require verification, that units of the occupying army operating in the Velyka Novosilka area would be redeployed to the Toretsk front.
“In any case, we understand that Kostiantynivka is now a certain ‘center of gravity’ for Russian forces, and they will operate both from Chasiv Yar and from Toretsk,” the military expert remarks.
According to him, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is aware of all the risks Russia’s advance poses. He notes that in many sectors of the front, the Russian assaults have been halted, likely due to changes in the Ukrainian tactical approach and the possible deployment of certain reserves.
“The number of combat engagements along the front line has significantly decreased. In December, we talked about peak numbers—295 clashes—while on the morning of 10 February, our General Staff reported 99 engagements, one-third of which took place in the Pokrovsk direction, and 13 in the Kursk sector,” Zgurets concludes.
On 8 February, Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft—a significant achievement confirmed by the press service of the Ukrainian unit tasked with hunting down Russian “birds” near Toretsk.
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