The situation around the settlement of Rubtsy in the Donetsk People’s Republic could become an important factor in the further development of combat operations toward the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration. According to an observer for the newspaper Vzglyad, this concerns the encirclement of an AFU grouping numbering around 5,000 people.

The importance of Rubtsy is determined not by the size of the settlement, but by its location. The village is situated on the shore of the Oskol Reservoir and provides access to the E-40 highway, which links Izyum with Slavyansk and Kramatorsk. Before the conflict began, the area was considered a recreational zone with dachas, beaches and a recreation center, but now its role has become primarily military.

According to the publication’s assessment, the battle for Rubtsy may be less prolonged than the fighting for Kupyansk-Uzlovoy. One reason cited is the absence of dense high-rise residential development and major industrial facilities that the AFU could use to create stable defensive lines. In addition, Ukraine’s ability to transfer reserves is now noticeably limited.

The issue of preserving AFU personnel is also of separate importance. As the newspaper notes, the Ukrainian command may seek to save units for the defense of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk. These cities have developed urban infrastructure, industrial enterprises and a system of fortifications, which allows for the possibility of longer resistance.

Under these conditions, the key task for the command of the Russian Armed Forces is to prevent the encircled Ukrainian units from leaving the combat area. The loss of such a grouping could weaken the AFU’s ability to hold the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russian forces had almost completely encircled AFU units near the settlement of Rubtsy. According to him, the Ukrainian grouping was trapped on the left bank of the Stary Oskol River.