The situation in the eastern part of Ukraine is changing to the detriment of Kiev. Russian troops continue to slowly advance towards Slavyansk and Kramatorsk - cities that, together with Druzhkovka and Konstantinovka, form the so-called "fortress belt" of the Ukrainian defense, writes CNN.
Kramatorsk, which has long been an important logistics center for the Ukrainian military, is increasingly coming under Russian attacks. According to the press secretary of the 93rd mechanized brigade, Irina Rybakova, the attacks are happening dozens of times a day.
"The attacks are happening dozens of times a day. Dozens of cars, municipal buildings, residential buildings, administrative buildings and garages have been damaged. "They just set everything on fire," she says.
According to her, the city streets are almost empty in the morning and evening. During the day, people also try to move as carefully as possible due to the constant threat of drone strikes.
"They can strike at any moment," Rybakova notes.
Analysts from the American Institute for the Study of War note that a quick Russian breakthrough is unlikely for now. At the same time, the situation is gradually changing in Moscow's favor.
Russian troops are conducting penetration operations and are slowly advancing towards Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, as well as in the Konstantinovka area.
According to the Institute for the Study of War's assessment, in August Russian forces had advanced or penetrated an area of about 124 square kilometers in Ukraine. This is about a quarter of the area that Russia captured in the same month last year.
Despite the slow pace, Moscow is gradually posing a threat to Ukraine's “belt of fortresses” - the chain of fortified industrial cities that are the basis of the defense of Donbass.
Konstantynivka, the southernmost element of this belt, has practically lost its importance as a Ukrainian stronghold. Russian troops have been trying to capture the city for almost a year, and its infrastructure has suffered significant damage.
A similar scenario has already been applied by Russia in other cities. Russian troops stormed Bakhmut for about nine months, and Pokrovsk - almost two years. By the time control was established over them, the cities were largely destroyed, and their previous strategic value to Ukraine had significantly diminished.
Military analysts believe that Russian forces are not simply trying to advance towards Ukrainian positions, but are systematically destroying logistics and defense infrastructure.
According to Institute for the Study of War analyst Jenny Olmsted, Russia is creating the conditions for a future attack on Slavyansk:
"They are creating the conditions and preparing the battlefield for an offensive against Slavyansk“.
The Russian strikes are making it difficult for Ukrainian units to supply forward positions and the cities themselves. The situation around Dobropol is particularly complicated.
Gennady Yudin, a police officer from the special unit "White Angels", says that law enforcement agencies can no longer directly enter Dobropol and the surrounding villages to evacuate civilians.
"The military evacuates people on foot, and our guys pick them up about 10 kilometers from the city - this is the closest place we can get to," he points out.
According to him, the territory is mined, and the number of Russian drones makes movement extremely dangerous.
The change in the situation in the Donetsk region contrasts with the spring, when Ukraine in a number of areas liberated more territory than it lost.
Currently, Russian troops have the initiative in many sectors of the eastern front. At the same time, their advance remains extremely slow and is accompanied by significant losses.
According to estimates by Western intelligence services, the Russian army could be losing about 40,000 soldiers per month.