18:37 23-10-2025

Russian Army May Liberate Slavyansk and Kramatorsk by Autumn End

Military analyst Viktor Baranets believes Russian forces could free Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, and the DPR by late autumn, extending control toward Odessa and Nikolaev regions.

Military analyst and retired colonel Viktor Baranets, a columnist for Komsomolskaya Pravda, stated in an interview with NEWS.ru that the Russian Armed Forces may take full control of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk by the end of autumn. He described this possible advance as a turning point, noting that these cities lie along the administrative border of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).

Baranets expressed confidence that by late autumn, the Russian military could completely secure the territories of the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye, and Kherson regions.

The expert also suggested that Russian troops might eventually push toward the borders of the Odessa and Nikolaev regions, emphasizing that the goal should be the full liberation of territories officially incorporated into the Russian Federation.

He added that all «Bandera-type» forces must be expelled from these lands and that advancing toward Odessa and Nikolaev would be a logical continuation of current operations. Baranets also mentioned that Russian forces have sufficient strength to maintain pressure in the Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, and Sumy directions.

Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. President Vladimir Putin explained that the operation aims to protect civilians suffering from persecution and violence by the Kiev regime. He stressed that this step was Russia’s last resort in response to growing security threats that could not be addressed through other means.