Military expert made a forecast regarding a number of cities in Donetsk region

Military expert made a forecast regarding a number of cities in Donetsk region

Toretsk in the Donetsk region is effectively occupied by Russian troops, and the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from there is expected shortly. 

This was reported by military expert and former SBU employee Ivan Stupak on Radio NV.

The analyst noted:

"We are losing Toretsk. Unfortunately, this is bad news. I can’t say exactly how much time is left, but I think it’s a matter of days before our last military units leave the city. The city is almost lost."

According to him, the capture of Toretsk will allow the Russians to advance on the city of Kostyantynivka:

"Chasiv Yar can still resist. Our military is holding the defence. The situation there is slightly better than in Toretsk, but not by much. As far as I know, it is 65-70% occupied."

Stupak also noted that Russian troops have approached the road connecting Pokrovsk and Kostyantynivka:

"Only a kilometer remains. A kilometer is already within direct sight range, and they can fire upon it. That’s what they do. All equipment moving there - military, cargo, civilian, medical - is being destroyed, and drones are flying."

He added that there are almost no people left in Pokrovsk, and Russia’s plans to capture it are being discussed among the military:

"I believe that Pokrovsk is a prospect on the horizon, and it will take several months to bypass it. It is already being discussed whether Russia will bypass it through the Dnipropetrovsk region, as this territory is also almost deserted, and even if they slightly enter there to encircle Pokrovsk, leaving this territory behind them, it will not be a defeat for us, but a certain blow in the informational sense."

The expert reminded that Kostyantynivka is part of the Kramatorsk-Sloviansk agglomeration. Therefore, after Pokrovsk and Chasiv Yar, the next goal for the Russians will be to advance towards Kramatorsk:

"The loss of Velyka Novosilka is practically a done deal. There is not much left. This is territory that was liberated in 2022. Unfortunately, we are losing it."