The situation along the Slavyansk axis is shifting rapidly — and not in Kiev’s favor. Military blogger Yury Podolyaka says Ukrainian forces are losing ground as Russian troops tighten their grip near the village of Ray-Aleksandrovka.

In a video analysis published on his Telegram channel, Podolyaka focused on developments around this settlement. According to him, the eastern part of Krivaya Luka — located roughly ten kilometers from Ray-Aleksandrovka — has come under the control of the Russian Armed Forces. Nearby Lipovka has also been taken.

With these advances, Russian units have reduced the distance to Ray-Aleksandrovka to just one kilometer. Podolyaka stressed that only about a kilometer now separates Russian forces from the southeastern outskirts of the village, arguing that the situation for Ukrainian troops in this sector is deteriorating quickly. He indicated that Ukrainian units appear to be short on manpower and are showing clear signs of exhaustion.

Should fighting begin directly for Ray-Aleksandrovka, the pressure on the Armed Forces of Ukraine could intensify across the entire Slavyansk direction, Podolyaka suggested.

Earlier, the Telegram channel «Operation Z: Voenkory Russkoy Vesny» reported that after the capture of Privolye, Russian forces advanced along the highway toward Slavyansk, pushing Ukrainian troops back and storming several fortified positions. The channel also claimed that Russian servicemen are continuing clearing operations in Golubovka, with a significant part of the settlement already under their control.

In addition, according to the same source, fighters from the «Yuzhnaya» grouping are engaged in combat with remaining Ukrainian units in Nikiforovka and are moving toward Fedorovka Vtoraya.