The battle in eastern Ukraine is becoming more and more fierce, and Russian forces have managed to break through the front line in several places.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced that it has almost completely captured the small town of Krasnogorovka in the Donetsk region. According to data from the state agency TASS, during the attack on the city, Ukrainian soldiers were detained, and the civilians "were taken to a safe place". The American Institute for the Study of War has confirmed with the help of geo-located footage that the Russian army has advanced in Krasnogorovka.
Russia wants to gain full control over Donetsk
Complete control over Donetsk is one of the most serious strategic goals of the Russian war in Ukraine. The region was illegally annexed by Russia, but at the same time, the Kremlin did not manage to conquer all the territory there. The further west of the city of Donetsk the front line moves, the more convenient it is for Russia to use the center of the district as a military base for supply and training.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the "liberation" of more villages in Luhansk and Kharkiv regions. The Institute for the Study of War points out that heavy fighting is taking place in many places with no territorial advances by either side. The front is more than 1,100 kilometers in total, and the Ukrainian units do not have enough ammunition and anti-aircraft systems to defend it effectively. Moreover, in many places Ukrainians are outnumbered by Russian soldiers.
The losses are huge
Ukraine has lost many of its well-trained fighters, Gustav Gressel from the European Council for Foreign Policy commented to ARD. Ukraine still has experienced brigades, but also some that are poorly trained. The level of training of commanders also varies greatly. "This is the problem of any mobilization army," says Gressel.
According to Ukrainian data, the Russian armed forces are suffering huge human losses - it is claimed that hundreds of soldiers are killed or wounded every day. Western intelligence agencies estimate that Russia is recruiting about 30,000 soldiers a month.