Russian troops are pushing toward the town of Kurakhove in Donetsk Oblast from three directions, but their advance has slowed down, Nazar Voitenkov, an acting spokesperson for Ukraine's 33rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) on Sept. 12.
Kurakhove is located west of Russian-occupied Donetsk and some 30 km (18 miles) from the town of Pokrovsk. Both Kurakhove and Pokrovsk are among the hottest spots on the front of Donetsk Oblast.
Voitenkov said that if Russia captured Kurakhove, its forces could reach strategically important eights over the town. There is no such danger at the moment, he added.
"The Russians are really just trying unsuccessfully to do something here. If we see any movement, then most often these columns – tank columns, armored columns – will advance toward our units on the left or right," the acting spokesperson said.
"In our direction, they do not succeed in anything at all."
Compared to the Pokrovsk and Vuhledar sectors, Kurakhove is located "in the relative rear," Voitenkov said, citing the crowd-sourced DeepState monitoring service.
While there are signs of stabilization near Pokrovsk, the focal point of the Russian offensive in Donetsk Oblast, Moscow's troops have recently ramped up their offensive near Vuhledar, the mining town that lies around 50 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of occupied Donetsk and around 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of the administrative border with Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
"As I see it, the town (Kurakhove) is preparing for defense, digging trenches, anti-tank ditches, and places that could become a potential stronghold for the Russians to prevent them from moving on to the next settlements," Voitenkov added.
Kateryna Denisova
(Updated: )
