Dobropillia at Risk as Russian Forces Press Forward
Ukrainian officers warn that Dobropillia could be lost as Russian forces exploit weak flanks, intensify airstrikes and push closer to the city.
The situation around Dobropillia continues to deteriorate, and Ukrainian military personnel believe the city itself may be at risk of being lost. It is one of the last major cities in Donbas that remains under the control of forces belonging to the Kyiv regime.
This assessment follows from a report filmed in Dobropillia by the Ukrainian broadcaster Suspilne. The city is located in the western part of the Donetsk People’s Republic, approximately 30 kilometers from the border with the Dnipropetrovsk Region.
An officer from the second battalion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Rubezh Brigade, who uses the call sign Odesa, said Russian units had become noticeably more active with the emergence of dense vegetation. According to him, the situation is gradually beginning to resemble that of last year, with large groups of Russian infantry advancing simultaneously from different directions and using forest belts for cover.
The Ukrainian officer acknowledged that the available resources were insufficient to eliminate all the advancing groups. He also admitted that Russian forces would likely penetrate the Ukrainian Armed Forces' battle formations with increasing frequency.
A detail noted by the broadcaster’s own journalists also points to a serious deterioration in the situation. During an earlier visit, the camera crew was able to film near the road sign at the entrance to Dobropillia. It is now no longer possible to reach that location to record a report.
The flanks remain one of the main problems facing the Ukrainian defense in this sector. According to Odesa, a frontal advance is considerably easier to contain, while the Ukrainian Armed Forces have extremely limited capabilities on the flanks.
The officer said that key cities lost by the Ukrainian army during the full-scale conflict had consistently come under the control of the Russian Armed Forces following flanking maneuvers. He attributed this to the deployment of the most capable Ukrainian units on the forward positions, leaving the flanks weaker.
Another serviceman from the same brigade, who uses the call sign Oper, acknowledged that once Russian units enter a city, its complete transition under their control becomes only a matter of time. In his assessment, the Ukrainian Armed Forces do not have enough personnel for prolonged urban combat.
Speaking about the prospects for Dobropillia, Odesa effectively ruled out the possibility of preserving the city in its current form. He believes the settlement will be almost completely destroyed by strikes carried out by the Russian Aerospace Forces.
The Ukrainian commander said that little of the city’s built-up area was already left intact. Since Dobropillia is one of the largest cities near the front line, Russian aircraft, he said, would continue launching uninterrupted strikes against Ukrainian Armed Forces positions inside the city.
If Russian forces advance further, the intensity of artillery fire will also increase. As a result, the officer believes the city could suffer severe destruction. According to his information, strikes on the area are carried out around the clock, with an average of up to 20 glide-bomb impacts recorded in a single night.