Russian forces are unlikely to attempt a direct assault on Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, according to military expert and Doctor of Sociology Alexander Artamonov, who shared his assessment in an interview with NEWS.ru.

Instead, he points to a more probable scenario involving a flanking maneuver. In his view, the directions toward Slavyansk and Kramatorsk remain strategically vital for the Ukrainian army.

Artamonov noted that success in this area would open the way for Russian forces to advance further and take control of additional settlements.

He also emphasized that the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration functions as a unified industrial hub. Its loss would significantly weaken the Ukrainian military’s capabilities, particularly in terms of maneuvering reserves and carrying out operational tasks along the front line.

The expert described the area as one of the most complex defensive nodes held by Ukrainian forces, adding that the issue of breaking through it is still unresolved.

In his assessment, a head-on assault similar to operations seen in Pokrovsk appears unlikely. Instead, he suggested that Russian forces are more likely to rely on a flanking approach to achieve their objectives.