Russian troops aim to reach the Kurakhove-Zaporizhzhia highway in Donetsk Oblast, which could lead to an encirclement of Ukraine’s Defense Forces, Ukrainian military analyst Denys Popovych told Espreso TV.
Kurakhove has become a critical target for Russian forces in their ongoing offensive in eastern Ukraine. The town’s strategic importance lies in its position as a key logistical hub for Ukrainian forces in southern Donbas. Capturing Kurakhove would allow Russian troops to open a path for further advances towards Pokrovsk, another strategically significant town.
Popovych noted that Ukraine’s Defense Forces may face encirclement or partial encirclement near Kurakhove in Donetsk Oblast.
“The enemy’s advance in the Kurakhove area is intended to create an encirclement for our soldiers defending this area by moving west of the city to the Kurakhove-Zaporizhzhia highway. This could cut off this logistical route, and in that case, our forces would have to retreat as the threat of encirclement would become very real,” Popovych emphasized.
He believes the Russians are currently focused on advancing in the Kurakhove front and, if successful, may then launch a massive offensive toward Pokrovsk.
Recently, Russian forces have intensified pressure on Kurakhove from new directions, putting logistics at risk.
According to the DeepState monitoring project, Russian forces have committed significant resources on several frontlines near Kurakhove. In particular, Russian troops are actively assaulting the eastern part of the city through Maksymilianivka, pushing into the eastern outskirts of Kurakhove.
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