Russia‘s Next Move: A Potential Large Encirclement in Donetsk Region
Russian occupiers could be planning a significant encirclement of Ukrainian defenders in the Donetsk region, according to military expert and former Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) employee Ivan Stupak. Speaking on Espreso TV, Stupak revealed that the targeted territories are bounded by Pokrovsk to the west and Chasov Yar to the east.
Stupak explained that the enemy aims to bypass Pokrovsk from the west and cut off the road connecting it to the Dnipropetrovsk region. He noted that Russia doesn’t consider administrative borders between regions, instead focusing on terrain advantages. If they don’t encounter fortified structures in the Dnipropetrovsk region, they might attempt a large-scale encirclement, potentially capturing several hundred to even thousands of square kilometers.
"Russia could create a large loop, encircling our military and capturing not just 10-20 square kilometers, but possibly several hundred or even a thousand square kilometers of territory," Stupak warned.
Meanwhile, Russian forces have made advances near Kurakhovo and Toretsk, according to DeepState analysts. In the past 24 hours, 148 combat encounters were recorded across the Ukrainian front.
On January 3, Ukrainian serviceman Yevhen Ievlev reported that the situation near Toretsk is stable, with Russian forces regularly shelling and attempting to storm Ukrainian positions using small infantry groups.
Stay informed with the latest news from the Donetsk region and across Ukraine.
