Since early August, when Ukraine secretly mobilized a large number of troops and invaded the Kursk Oblast of Russia, it seems that the battlefield situation between Russia and Ukraine is becoming increasingly chaotic to the outside world. However, for the senior military officials on both sides and even the Pentagon, who are watching from afar, the current battlefield situation is becoming increasingly clear.
Russia is putting pressure on the sprawling front line in eastern Ukraine, and all eyes have actually been focused on the strategic location of the Donetsk region at the center of the current war vortex - the Red Army City (known as Pokrovsk in Ukraine).
If the Kursk Campaign in history was a major turning point in the strategic situation of the Soviet German battlefield in World War II, then today, the ownership of the Red Army City may even determine the direction of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Russia and Ukraine fighting each other? It's not that simple!
The most obvious change on the Russia Ukraine battlefield this summer is undoubtedly that both sides have begun to use their latest military resources to seize large territories of the other side, rather than defending their own territories.
In early August, Ukraine's attack on Kursk caught Russia off guard. The goal of the Ukrainian side is obviously very clear, hoping to occupy thousands of square kilometers of land, control hundreds of villages and towns, and try to force the Russian side to disperse its forces, especially to lure the Russian army to withdraw its main forces from the eastern region of Ukraine, in order to alleviate the pressure on the Ukrainian side in the Donetsk region, attract international attention, and strive for more Western aid.
However, it is evident that Ukraine's strategic goal has not been achieved.
After the initial panic and chaos, the Russian army gradually confronted the invading Ukrainian army in Kursk Oblast, while at the same time, the Russian offensive in Donetsk continued to make progress.
On Tuesday local time, Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation and former Defense Minister, announced that the Russian military has advanced nearly 1000 square kilometers in the Donbass region since August.
(Russian military advance speed, gray represents the actual occupied area by the Russian military on June 1st, red represents the occupied area on August 1st)
Shoigu stated that in August and the first week of September, Ukraine lost an average of 28 square kilometers of territory per day, with up to 2000 casualties. About 1000 square kilometers of territory in the Donbass region were liberated. And the most important thing is not even the mileage, the most important thing is that they (the Ukrainian army) face losses of up to 2000 casualties every day.
In fact, even the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces issued a notice on the social platform "Telegram" this week stating that the situation of the Ukrainian army on the entire front line is still severe. According to the Ukrainian report, the situation in the direction of Kulahovo and Red Army City within the controlled area of the Donetsk People's Republic is the most severe.
The key to Red Army City
At present, from the map, the Russian military's goal is actually very clear: to seize the logistics center of Ukraine, the Red Army city of Pokrovsk, and attempt to seize the high ground of Chasivyar city.
Seizing these two cities will enable Russia to further occupy other areas in the eastern part of Donetsk Oblast, thereby achieving the strategic goals of the Russian military.
Since seizing the industrial city of Afjievka in February this year, the Russian military has continued to advance westward by occupying villages. In recent weeks, they have accelerated their progress and are now only a few miles away from the city of Pokrovsk, which used to have 80000 people living there.
The Ukrainian military in the region has stated that their defense efforts have been hindered due to a shortage of ammunition and a lack of well-trained troops. At present, the local Ukrainian army is at a disadvantage in terms of both military strength and numbers.
As shown in the figure below, the military strategic position of Red Army City is self-evident: it is located on a major highway and railway, and is the main supply line for the Ukrainian army in the Donetsk region.
[align center] (strategic position of Red Army City)
