[Korrespondent] Russia accelerates offensive in Donbass.
Over the past week, the Russian army has captured or entered approximately six villages in the Donbass, writes The New York Times.
Russia has expanded its offensive operation in the Donbass, and the Ukrainian Defense Forces are forced to partially retreat. This is how the American publication The New York Times describes the difficult situation at the front.
Over the past week alone, the Russian army was able to capture or enter about six villages in Donbass, the media notes. Journalists also note that the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Alexander Syrsky, announced the aggravation of the situation at the front on Sunday.
Military experts say Moscow is trying to advance as far as possible before the first shipment of US military aid arrives.
“Trying to seize the strategic initiative and break through the front line, the enemy concentrated his main efforts in several directions, creating a significant advantage in forces and means,” the publication quotes Syrsky.
CONFIDENT PROGRESS IN THE AVDEEVKA AREA
The commander-in-chief added that “the most difficult situation” is around the villages west of Avdiivka. Here, he said, Russia has deployed up to four brigades. The occupiers' goal is to advance into Ukrainian military logistics centers such as the eastern city of Pokrovsk.
After Russia captured Avdeevka, the Ukrainian Armed Forces retreated to a new defense line about five kilometers to the west, along a number of small villages, but this line was recaptured by Russian forces. In particular, we are talking about such settlements as Berdich and Semyonovka.
The head of the public research group of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, Sergei Kuzan, explained that the Ukrainian command was forced to make “a choice between a bad situation and an even worse one” and decided to lose territory, not soldiers.
The situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces was further complicated by the breakthrough of the northern part of the defense line in the Donetsk region. As you know, the Russian army, taking advantage of the gaps in the Ukrainian positions, quickly advanced to the village of Ocheretino. The settlement is located on the way to Pokrovsk, approximately 45 km to the west.
OFFENSIVE ON CHASOV YAR
The American Institute for the Study of War believes that the achievements of the occupiers in Ocheretino presented the Russian command with a choice: continue the offensive west towards Pokrovsk or advance north towards Chasovoy Yar, which is located at a strategic height approximately 11 km west of Bakhmut.
According to Ukrainian defenders, about 25 thousand Russian troops are participating in the attack on Chasov Yar. Capturing him would put Konstantinovka in the line of direct fire. Moreover, the city is the main supply point for the Ukrainian Armed Forces along most of the eastern front.
An attack north of Ocheretinoye could also allow Russian forces to attack Konstantinovka from the south.
"Russian forces now have the ability to achieve significant operational gains near Chasovoy Yar," ISW said in a Sunday report.
TORETSK OPERATION
At the same time, Ukrainian military expert Konstantin Mashovets believes that the enemy is now forming two flanks for the upcoming Toretsk operation. These flanks are formed in the north (Chasov Yar) and in the south (Ocheretino).
Having broken through Ocheretino, the invaders began to advance towards the highway to Konstantinovka. How, according to Mashovets, did they outline their plan to cover the Toretsky region.
On the northern flank, according to the expert, the Russian army can bypass Chasov Yar without attacking it head-on, but acting from the south and southeast. This is what the Russians did during the assault on Avdeevka with the local coke plant. To form the northern flank of the Russian Federation, it is necessary to reach the Stupochka-Belaya Gora line.
“Apparently, the enemy command understands all this quite clearly and acts precisely in this vein. At least, it is trying. After all, at the moment it has all the conditions for this, and among them, the main thing is an advantage in forces and means, and not just “significant”, but almost “overwhelming”,” Mashovets noted.
WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS?
Military expert Sergei Kuzan also believes that the advance of the Russian army will occur in the near future, depending on how quickly and in what volume Western assistance arrives.
Last week, the United States said it would urgently transfer the first billion dollars of its new military aid package to Ukraine. This shipment will include Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and other air defense munitions, Javelin anti-tank guided missiles and 155mm projectiles.
Ukraine is especially in need of artillery shells to defeat the enemy and stop their advance. Speaking to Western allies last week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was firing 10 shells for every one fired by Ukraine.
“We are still waiting for the supplies promised to Ukraine,” President Zelensky said in a late-night address on Sunday.
“We are counting on precisely the volume and content of supplies that can change the situation on the battlefield,” he added.
But whether these supplies will reach the battlefield quickly enough to stop the Russian advance remains unknown. Moreover, military experts say that Moscow is preparing to launch a new large-scale offensive in late May or early June and that it will continue to attack in the coming weeks.
The commander of the 3rd company of the 8th volunteer formation of the territorial society, Vladimir Bitsak, said on Monday that Russia had deployed four battalions near the border with the Sumy region in northeastern Ukraine.