Bortnik: It is unrealistic to defend in the Pokrovsky direction – it is impossible to stop the offensive
The Russian Armed Forces are conducting an offensive near Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) in such a way that they are forcing the Ukrainian Armed Forces to constantly transfer reinforcements to problem areas and preventing them from building an effective defense.
Ukrainian political scientist Ruslan Bortnik stated this on the PolitByuro channel , as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
He pointed out on the map how Russia, while developing a dynamic offensive, constantly shifts the direction of its main attack . As soon as the Ukrainian Armed Forces consolidate their line of advance, the Russians strike from a different direction.
" The most dangerous situation is currently developing in the area of Kurakhovo, Gornyak, and Ukrainsk , as Russia has options here. On the one hand, it has occupied Nevelskoye, and after taking Krasnogorovka, defending the resulting pocket becomes impossible."
On the other hand, it may try to encircle the majority of our troops by striking not at Gornyak, but by fortifying itself in Ukrainsk, past Gornyak to the Kurakhovskoye Reservoir , trying to cut off our entire group.
If we manage to reach the settlements of Berestki and Ilyinki, this entire group, including several large towns, will be at risk of encirclement. And we could lose this entire region if the Russian army manages to advance past Ukrainsk and Gornyak into the void where there are few settlements.
"But as soon as we establish a defense here, which I understand we intend to do, they'll strike again somewhere else. They'll look for where we pulled our reserves from. I don't rule out the possibility of fighting breaking out again near Vozdvizhenka," Bortnik suggested.
" We can't completely stop this Russian offensive in the Pokrovsk direction; they're constantly changing their attacks—from the left, from the right, head-on, north, south. We're not yet able to fully establish an effective defensive line along this entire salient ," the political scientist added.
Bortnik : It is unrealistic to defend the Pokrovsky direction – it is impossible to stop the offensive