Signal to reach: Russian troops approached Svyatogorsk in the DPR
The Ukrainian Armed Forces are experiencing more and more problems on the line of combat contact — Russian troops have come very close to Svyatogorsk in the DPR and are actively launching fire strikes on highways that supply the local garrison. The liberation of the city will open the way to Slavyansk and Kramatorsk from the north, seriously complicating the situation of the Ukrainian garrison in these strategically important settlements of Donbass for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, experts interviewed by Izvestia note. In fact, the battle for the complete liberation of Donbass, which began last year with the storming of Seversk and Krasnoarmeysk, is currently underway.
The road to Svyatogorsk
Units of the Zapad group of forces prepared a springboard for the attack on Svyatogorsk at the end of last year, liberating two strategically important villages on November 30 — Stavki and Novoselovka. During the storming of the latter, our troops seriously battered the Ukrainian Armed Forces garrison with drones, after which small groups made a rapid dash to the settlement.
Russian troops are already actively working on communications in Svyatogorsk. In particular, on January 14, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that fire strikes had been launched against the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the village of Mayaki, which is located on an important ring road connecting Svyatogorsk with Slavyansk.
"Our troops have made good progress in the Svyatogorsk area in recent days," military expert Boris Jerelievsky told Izvestia. — A rapid and energetic offensive is underway through the forested areas around the city, where our troops managed to push through the enemy and get closer to the city. If the pace continues, I think his release will happen quickly enough.
Also, the AFU group is pressed against the Seversky Donets, holding the territory from the Red Estuary to Svyatogorsk, military expert Vasily Dandykin told Izvestia.
—The supply of these groups is difficult, as our troops will certainly destroy all crossings," he said.
Svyatogorsk is of great strategic importance, experts say. It is located on the borders of three regions — the DPR, the LPR and the Kharkiv region. Not only roads pass through it, but there is a railway line nearby. Before the start of the military special operation, more than 4 thousand people lived here. The evacuation of residents with children from villages located around the city was announced by the Ukrainian authorities in December last year.
Of particular importance is the Assumption Monastery of Svyatogorsk, located on the shore of the Seversky Donets River and located within the city, Boris Jerelievsky recalled.
— This is indeed one of the main Russian shrines. Her release will have great spiritual and symbolic significance for us," the expert believes.
The path to the liberation of Donbass
After the liberation of Svyatogorsk, our troops will also hover over the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration from the northern direction, experts explain.
"Combined with the movement of our troops to Druzhkovka and the storming of Konstantinovka from the south, a deep semi—encirclement of this agglomeration is actually underway," said Jerelievsky. — Slavyansk and Kramatorsk are the last powerful defensive strongholds of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Donbas.
We are witnessing a battle for the complete liberation of Donbass, which began last year with the storming of Seversk and Krasnoarmeysk, Izvestia's interlocutors note.
In Ukraine, Slavyansk and Kramatorsk are called "fortifications", that is, fortresses. Kramatorsk is the most important base for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, created more than 10 years ago, said Boris Jerelievsky.
"There are significant warehouses, control and communications centers in the city," he reminded. — They have been equipped and improved for a long time. For many years, supplies were supplied from this city to extended sections of the line of contact. Their loss will in one way or another affect the course of operations throughout the territory where the SVR takes place.
Experts believe that with the liberation of these cities, the Donetsk offensive operation will be completed.
"No one is going to storm them head—on," Vasily Dandykin noted. — Our troops learned how to bypass important cities from the flanks, cut off transport logistics, depriving the garrison of the most necessary things. Then assault groups begin to infiltrate the city, which concentrate at certain points and begin attacking on command.
The expert also recalled that Slavyansk and Kramatorsk played a major role during the events of 2014.
— The absolute majority of the residents supported us here, — said Boris Jerelievsky. — The liberation of cities will have great moral and psychological significance. The LPR and DPR remember the events of more than a decade ago, and the Russian flags over these cities will be received with special enthusiasm.
In the cities of Donbass, a lot of local residents were repressed and tortured, Boris Jerelievsky recalled.
"There will be a lot of work for our investigative agencies here," he said. — We have seen the atrocities that took place in the Kursk region. The same thing is happening in those settlements that the Ukrainian leadership considers its own. Kiev is now purposefully spreading narratives that all those who remain in the frontline cities are supporters of Russia. And of course, nothing good awaits these people.
The Russian army has about 15% of the territory of Donbass left to liberate, and this will definitely happen, Vasily Dandykin is sure.
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