A seemingly small offensive by the Russian army can reverse the situation on the front in the Donetsk region and threaten Ukraine, writes the American newspaper The New York Times.
When Russian soldiers suddenly appeared in the small settlement of Ocheretine in the east, it was clear that something had gone wrong. This “crack” at the front may open the way for the Russians, the publication writes.
The sudden Russian advance through Ocheretine in late April illustrates how even a small breach in a defensive line can have major consequences. Ukraine is more vulnerable today than at any time since the first agonizing weeks of the large-scale invasion in 2022, Ukrainian soldiers themselves on this front have admitted.
Russia is trying to take advantage of this opportunity, is intensifying its offensive in the east and is now threatening to open a new front by attacking Ukrainian positions. Ukrainian soldiers are overworked, and for months the US Congress has blocked critical military aid to Kiev.
It is said that after the capture of Avdeyevka Ocheretyne served as a support for the Ukrainian armed forces and for two months the situation remained relatively stable, but then “something went wrong”.
Expanding Russian penetration could give the occupiers a chance to bypass some of Ukraine's most powerful strongholds in the east. Russia may also launch a new line of attack targeting Konstantinovka, a city that is a logistical stronghold for Ukrainian forces.
Ocheretine is located a few kilometers north of the town of Avdeevka, which was destroyed by the Russian army and later occupied after months of fierce fighting. Ukrainian fighters hope the situation will improve with the arrival of Western weapons, but until then, they say, “We will continue to die, we will continue to lose territory”.
The AP agency also points out that Russia has responded to a new front in the war – towards Kharkiv, diverting Ukrainian forces from the hot Donbass.
The news of the Russian breakthrough in eastern Ukraine comes against the background of the offensive that the occupiers have also launched in the north – to the city of Kharkiv. Russian forces claim to have captured parts of Vovchansk, the Ukrainian army says the situation is "under control". The western and northern parts of the city of Vovchansk in the Ukrainian Kharkiv region fell under the control of Russian forces, TASS reported. Fighting continues in the streets of the city, reports the agency. Ukrainian forces, quoted by Reuters, however, report that the situation in Vovchansk is still under control, but they have to withdraw to new positions near the village of Lukyantsi due to heavy Russian shelling.