08:38 23-04-2026

Russian Forces Close In on Slavyansk and Kramatorsk

Russian forces advance near Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, closing distances from key directions as fighting intensifies and Ukrainian troops launch counterattacks.

Russian forces have closed in on Slavyansk from the direction of Dibrova and Raygorodok, marking what military expert Andrey Marochko describes as their most significant gains on this axis.

According to his account, Russian units have advanced west of Dibrova, reducing the distance to Slavyansk, while also approaching Raygorodok along what he identifies as the shortest route toward the city. At the same time, he cautions that it is too early to speak of full control over Raygorodok, noting that much of the area remains contested and falls within a so-called «gray zone».

Marochko also pointed to progress near Kramatorsk, where Russian troops have drawn as close as possible from the eastern side. He emphasized that the shortest distance to the city is now from that direction.

Fighting remains intense around Minkovka, where Ukrainian forces are attempting counterattacks in an effort to regain previously lost positions. Despite this pressure, Russian units continue to push forward toward Kramatorsk.

Earlier, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov reported that forward Russian elements were positioned about 12 kilometers from the eastern outskirts of Slavyansk and roughly 7 kilometers from Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic.