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On December 30, the Russian military advanced to the north of Krasny Liman in Donetsk, in an apparent effort to cut all roads leading to the key city and trap Ukrainian troops there.
The Zapad [West] Group of Forces started a fresh attack from its positions between Yarova and Oleksandrivka towards Sosnove. Russian troops managed to reach the settlement, and battles are now reported to be taking place in its outskirts, where Ukrainian defenses mainly consist of a series of checkpoints.
Sosnove is located right on the railway that leads south to Krasny Liman, and very close to one of the main roads to the city.
The capture of the settlement by the Yug Group of Forces would be a blow to Kiev forces, especially those still deployed in Yarova.
While Sosnove is located some 15 kilometers to the north of Krasny Liman, the Zapad Group of Forces advance towards the settlement is clearly meant to cut all Ukrainian supply routes going to the city from that direction, by fire or even physically if possible.
Just a day earlier, the Zapad Group of Forces captured Dibrova. The settlement is located to the south of Krasny Liman, right on a road leading to the city.
By capturing Dibrova, Russian troops didn’t only cut that road, but also imposed fire control on another road leading to the city from the west.
Click to see full-size map.
The recent operations of the Zapad Group of Forces were not limited to the area around Krasny Liman in Donetsk. The group also advanced to the north, in Kharkiv, and managed to capture Boguslavka, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Click to see full-size map.
The Russian Defense Minister congratulates the troops of the 15th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment on the capture of the settlement.
“As a result of your professional and decisive actions, the enemy suffered significant losses and did not achieve the goals. As an example of resilience and tenacity in battles against neo-Nazi evil, the servicemen liberated Boguslavka in Kharkov region,” the minister, Andrei Belousov, said in a post to Telegram.
With the capture of Borova, the presence of Ukrainian troops to the north of Borova has very much ended. A large-scale Russian attack towards the settlement will likely begin soon.
All in all, the recent advance by the Zapad Group of Forces to the north and south of Krasny Liman appears to be meant to cut all roads leading to the city to trap Ukrainian troops there. This indicates that the city may be the next main target of the Russian military.
Meanwhile, the recent advance in Kharkiv is more meant to keep pressure on Kiev forces there to prevent them from sending reinforcements to other directions, like Krasny Liman.
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