Russian forces pierce Ukrainian defense in Donetsk Oblast, bypassing fortifications, monitoring group says

Russian forces have made a push toward the Dobropillia–Kramatorsk highway in Donetsk Oblast, seizing positions in nearby settlements to support further offensive operations, the Ukrainian battlefield monitoring group DeepState reported on Aug. 11.

The updated map, compiled by DeepState through a mix of open-source data and testimonies from units on the ground, shows the grey zone touching the highway, which was used regularly by civilian and military traffic as recently as mid-July.

Dobropillia lies 94 kilometers northwest of Russian-occupied Donetsk, and about 22 kilometers north of the embattled city of Pokrovsk.

Leveraging their numerical superiority, Russian forces have advanced into Kucheriv Yar, Zolotyi Kolodiaz, and Vesele, where they are reportedly consolidating positions for a renewed offensive and full occupation, according to DeepState.

Russian troops are also attempting to establish a foothold in Petrivka and Novovodiane, on the other side of the highway.

The Russian push, an extension of the Russian offensive between Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast that has been underway since spring, gained pace dramatically over August, bringing key Ukrainian logistics routes into the range of Russian first-person view (FPV) drones.

Piercing the Ukrainian defense far west of the main agglomeration of Ukrainian-controlled cities in Donetsk Oblast — Sloviansk, Kramatorsk Druzhkivka, and Kostiantynivka — these latest gains threaten to severely compromise Kyiv's overall defense of the war-torn eastern region.

New fortifications have been built around Zolotyi Kolodiaz, Shakhove, and nearby settlements — positions that Russian forces are currently bypassing but may seize and repurpose for defensive use in future operations, DeepState said.

"After final consolidation and accumulation, attempts to move deeper into the territory will be inevitable, and drone crews will be brought in, which will complicate the restructuring of alternative logistics and the maintenance of surrounding positions by Ukrainian forces," the report read.

"With this development of events, if it does not change, we may encounter a situation where Dobropillia falls faster than Pokrovsk."

Ukrainian officials have not publicly commented on the reported Russian advance.

The press officers of two Ukrainian brigades known to be fighting in the area declined to comment on the situation.

The news comes as Russia, facing the prospect of peace talks, has aimed to surge forward on the front line to put itself in the best position at a potential negotiating table.

The hottest parts of the front line remain in Donetsk Oblast, where Ukrainian brigades, all severely understrength in infantry, are battling to hold the line against a Russian attacking force that has learned to target weak points in the Ukrainian defense.

Civilian evacuations from contested or occupied areas remain extremely dangerous, with Russian forces repeatedly accused of targeting non-combatants.

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The Kyiv IndependentOlena Zashko