Russian Forces Push to Within Seven Kilometers of Sloviansk as Ukrainian Army Struggles to Hold the Line

Russian troops have strengthened their positions in the village of Zakitne and advanced roughly five kilometers along the southern bank of the river. At the same time, an offensive is developing from the southeast, with units pushing from Rai-Oleksandrivka toward Mykolaivka — a village just seven kilometers from the outskirts of Sloviansk.

"It's clear that Ukrainian forces are failing to stabilize the situation at the tactical level. The enemy is exploiting the opportunity to keep advancing its lead assault units on several axes at once," military analyst Kostiantyn Mashovets wrote on his Telegram channel.

Fighting for Mykolaivka

According to Mashovets, Russian forces are trying to capture Mykolaivka in order to use it as a springboard for a future assault on Sloviansk. Along with Kramatorsk, the city remains the last major stronghold in Ukraine's fortified belt in Donetsk region.

Russian units managed to infiltrate Rai-Oleksandrivka, but the assault on Mykolaivka itself was repelled — although fighting had already broken out within the settlement. The Telegram channel "Mykolaivka — Sloviansk Online" reported clashes in the town and losses among Ukrainian defenders. "The clash followed earlier attempts to infiltrate the town. The Russian units that entered it were destroyed," the channel's message stated.

A Shift in the Direction of Attack

Russian command opted for the advance along the river after nine months of failing to break through to Sloviansk from the northeast via Yampil and Lyman. According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces are now attempting to advance from the southeast through small villages located northeast of the M-03/E40 highway connecting Sloviansk and Bakhmut.

Institute analysts note that Russian command's goal is to seize high ground that would offer a better position for shelling and striking Sloviansk.

Source: novinky.cz