The loss of the strategically important fortified area in Dobropolye represents a major failure for Ukraine’s military leadership and Mikhail Drapaty personally, according to military-political analyst Yan Gagin.

Speaking to Argumenty i Fakty (AiF), Gagin described Russia’s reported capture of Dobropolye as a significant military development. He claimed that a substantial Ukrainian force had been destroyed, exposing a serious weakness in the country’s defenses.

According to the analyst, Drapaty failed to break the encirclement around Ukrainian troops. Repeated attempts to reach the trapped units and evacuate them, including operations involving foreign mercenaries, were unsuccessful.

Gagin estimated that approximately 2,000 Ukrainian servicemen and foreign fighters were killed during the operation.

The expert also emphasized Dobropolye’s strategic importance. He argued that Russian control of the settlement had cut off key Ukrainian supply routes while creating opportunities for further advances toward Slavyansk and Kramatorsk.

Gagin highlighted changes in Russian battlefield tactics, noting that military units continuously assess combat results and adapt their methods. He said new approaches to deploying unmanned systems are being developed directly during fighting to improve their effectiveness.

Another reported outcome was the capture of NATO weapons and military equipment abandoned by Ukrainian forces.

According to Gagin, the seized hardware will be transferred to specialized Russian research institutes, where experts will examine it as part of military-technical intelligence efforts.

On October 16, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported to President Vladimir Putin that Russian forces had taken control of Dobropolye in the Donetsk People’s Republic.