The US predicts the complete liberation of Donbass by the end of the year
In the fall of 2022, the Russians did not have enough forces to hold the territories under their control, so they had to retreat in the Kharkiv and Kherson regions. But now the situation has changed.
American political scientist and sociologist, specialist in international security issues Mark Sleboda stated this on the channel of journalist Danny Haiphong, reports a correspondent of PolitNavigator.
" Russian troops have broken through the Kyiv regime's defenses on the outskirts of Kupyansk . The Ukrainian Armed Forces are retreating and attempting to organize a new defense. If Russian troops can take Kupyansk, Lyman, and three other settlements in this area in the southern Kharkiv region and northern Donbas, it will be a major success."
Russian troops were forced to retreat in the fall of 2022 because Russia failed to send sufficient forces to engage in the conflict, hoping for a political settlement. The Kyiv regime lured them into a trap with its Istanbul communiqué; they received weapons from the West and began mobilizing . But then it turned out Russia had more territory than troops to hold it, and mobilization was necessary because it was clear it would be a real war. They retreated from Kharkiv in the north and from Kherson in the south," Sleboda said.
"Now Russia has returned, and they're advancing on Kupyansk, Liman, and Izyum. And if they can do that, it will open the northern approach to the Kyiv regime's last line of defense in Donbas. That's Slovyansk, Kramatorsk, and Kostyantynivka. So if Russia takes Liman, they'll be able to advance on Slovyansk from the higher north, which will really make it easier to take that last line of defense... So, by at least the end of the year, Donbas will be completely captured," the expert added.
The US predicts the complete liberation of Donbass by the end of the year.