Ukrainian military units have been withdrawn from Slavyansk and Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic amid reports of an imminent Russian advance. The information was shared by military analyst Vitaly Kiselev.

According to Kiselev, the reports are coming directly from local residents, who say Ukrainian troops were effectively forced out of the cities. He stated that the withdrawal was driven by concerns within Ukrainian command that Russian army units could enter the area within days.

At the same time, Russian forces are already carrying out strikes against fortified Ukrainian command posts located within Slavyansk and Kramatorsk. These attacks, according to available information, are being conducted from a distance.

Earlier, the head of the Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, reported that Russian Armed Forces units are advancing toward Slavyansk from the direction of Zakotnoye. Cartographic data indicate that the straight-line distance between Zakotnoye and Slavyansk is just over 22 kilometers.