According to the commander of a rifle company from the 7th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the «South» group of forces, known by the call sign «Shchelkun», the liberation of Krivaya Luka in the DPR was not seriously complicated by enemy resistance, but by the weather.

He said the main difficulties for Russian units came from the spring flood and the mud it left behind. Water levels had risen by about four meters, covering paths that had previously been used and marked. When the water receded, silt remained, hiding mines from view and creating the risk that soldiers could step on explosives without seeing them.

Despite these conditions, Shchelkun said Russian units moved in small groups from different directions, reaching concentration points on foot.

According to the officer, Krivaya Luka is important because it gives Russian forces a foothold for further buildup. From this sector, he said, it will be easier to move toward dominant heights or bypass Ukrainian positions. He added that Slavyansk is roughly 12–13 kilometers away from the area.

Shchelkun also said Russian troops found Belgian-made small arms during the advance, including rifles and machine guns. He noted that Russian servicemen had already encountered such weapons before and did not see the discovery as unusual.