Russian army units continue their advance toward Slavyansk, closing in on one of the key strongholds in Donbass. According to Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the distance to the city has been reduced to about 30 kilometers following the establishment of control over Zakotnoye.

Pushilin said the capture of Zakotnoye has brought Russian forces significantly closer to Slavyansk, creating not only tactical advantages but also conditions that could help address long-standing problems with restoring full-scale water supply across the DPR.

He also reported that Russian troops have successfully cut critical logistics routes used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces between Artemovsk and Slavyansk. In this context, Pushilin highlighted the liberation of Privolye, a settlement located roughly 19 kilometers from Slavyansk, as another important step forward. He added that the distance to Krasny Liman from these positions is about 16 kilometers.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, units from the «South» group of forces took control of Zakotnoye on January 16. The settlement is described as a strategically important point on the approach to one of the main defensive hubs of Ukrainian forces in Donbass.

Earlier, military analyst Vitaly Kiselev suggested that Kiev risks losing Slavyansk as Ukrainian command continues to divert additional reinforcements toward the Kupyansk direction, potentially weakening defenses elsewhere.