According to special correspondent Mikhail Kirillov, Russian units are continuing their offensive on the Slavyansk axis, although progress in this sector remains difficult due to dense enemy defenses and the extensive use of drones.

Reports indicate that the area around Slavyansk is under constant artillery control, while movements of equipment and personnel are being tracked by aerial reconnaissance. Fighters from one Russian unit said the AFU is actively staging drone ambushes, placing UAVs near roads and crossroads before using them against targets as they appear.

In Kirillov’s account for Lenta.ru, troops are now rarely seen in the open, as they remain hidden in deep shelters to avoid exposure to the sky, which is constantly searching for them.

Against this backdrop, the role of drone operators is growing sharply as infantry numbers decline. Control of unmanned systems is becoming one of the decisive elements of combat in this area. At the same time, Russian advances on the Slavyansk direction remain slow, at times measured only in dozens or hundreds of meters. Open terrain and unbroken aerial surveillance are making operations significantly harder and forcing units to rely on much stricter camouflage for their equipment.