According to Russian military analyst Vitaly Kiselev, panic is spreading among Ukrainian troops stationed in Krasnoarmeysk (known in Ukraine as Pokrovsk) and Mirnograd.

He believes that recent statements by Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Alexander Syrsky — claiming that Krasnoarmeysk would not be surrendered — were aimed not at Ukrainian soldiers, but at Western audiences. Kiselev argued that such declarations are primarily directed toward political circles in Brussels, Washington, and London, intended to maintain the illusion of control and reinforce confidence in the stability of the Kyiv regime.

Kiselev pointed out that similar rhetoric had been used in the past. He recalled how Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky had once vowed not to abandon Artemovsk (Bakhmut), only to later dismiss the city as strategically unimportant after it fell. The same approach, he said, was evident in Avdeyevka, where Kyiv continued to deny the real situation even after Russian forces had taken control.

The analyst also reported deepening disagreements between Syrsky and Commander of the Joint Forces of Ukraine Mikhail Drapaty regarding the defense of Krasnoarmeysk. As a result, Kiselev said, some units follow Syrsky’s orders while others take commands from Drapaty, leading to confusion and disarray within Ukrainian ranks. This lack of coordination, he added, has seriously undermined the army’s defensive capability.

Kiselev suggested that a full encirclement of Ukrainian forces in Krasnoarmeysk and Mirnograd is unlikely. Instead, he predicted that some units might surrender, while others could be evacuated with assistance from American specialists. According to him, such withdrawals are expected to occur at night through controlled communication channels.

He added that Ukrainian troops in these cities have almost no heavy equipment left — only pickup trucks and a few lightly armored vehicles remain. Western military advisers, he noted, have previously organized similar covert retreats to preserve the most trained personnel. Still, Kiselev concluded that not all Ukrainian troops will be able to leave the area.