Denis Pushilin, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), stated that Ukrainian forces have constructed extensive defensive fortifications in the Kramatorsk-Sloviansk agglomeration. According to him, these fortifications explain the slower pace of Russian advances in the area.

Pushilin suggested that gaining control over Sloviansk would be strategically significant, as it would allow water supplies to be restored to the region and lift the blockade imposed by Kyiv. He emphasized that the defensive structures around the city were formidable, noting that if conditions permitted, Russian forces could capture Sloviansk within a matter of days.

He explained that the pace of operations depends on many factors, and while the distance to Sloviansk appears short, the city and its surroundings remain heavily fortified.

Military channels reported that Russian troops have effectively cut the main supply route for Ukrainian units in Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. This route connected the towns of Krasnoarmeysk (known in Ukraine as Pokrovsk) and Dobropillia.