Kanal13

Russians are preparing to capture two major cities: ISW has identified a new enemy target

Duration: 3:13 436 transcript words EN summary

Video summary

Russian forces are currently executing two primary offensives targeting the northern and southern outskirts of Ukraine's defensive belt in the Donetsk region, aiming to secure control over the area by the spring-summer campaign of 2026. Following unsuccessful attempts to breach the defenses toward Sloviansk from the northeast via Lyman, Moscow has redirected its main efforts eastward and southeastward. In the southern sector, Russian troops are actively pushing into Kostyantynivka, a move that officials repeatedly emphasize is essential for seizing the broader Sloviansk-Druzhkivka-Kramatorsk agglomeration and ultimately dominating the entire Donetsk region. The nature of the current advance differs from previous large-scale assaults, as the urban penetration is being supported not by heavy mechanized columns but by reconnaissance and infantry groups. Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets reported on August 26th that while small advance elements have made limited inroads, the main Russian forces have not yet consolidated their position within most of Kostyantynivka. Although Ukrainian armed forces still hold the northern and northwestern parts of the city, their main units from the southeast have recently retreated to the eastern bank of the Kryvyi Torets River, with separate detachments continuing to operate in the center and southeast up to the outskirts of Ivanopil. Despite these localized gains, analysts caution that even if Kostyantynivka were fully captured, it would not grant the Russian army a quick operational breakthrough against the rest of the fortress belt or the region as a whole. To facilitate future ground operations toward Sloviansk, Moscow has intensified attacks on targets in the immediate rear to disrupt Ukrainian logistics and clear the path for infantry. This tactic mirrors previous actions in Konstantinovka, where aerial bombings reduced buildings to rubble, creating cover and camouflage for reconnaissance groups; Russian forces are likely applying this same methodology to prepare for an assault on Sloviansk. Before launching a direct attack on Sloviansk, Russian strategists must first resolve several tactical tasks by capturing large settlements located to the east and southeast of the city, such as Rai-Oleksandrivka and Mykolayivka along with their surrounding areas. The Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration remains the central operational and strategic objective for Moscow, prompting the enemy to advance on multiple fronts simultaneously. While Konstantinovka currently stands as the hottest spot in the southern sector, the broader campaign relies on securing these peripheral settlements to create a viable corridor for further expansion into the key urban centers of the Donetsk region.

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The occupying army of the aggressor country Russia is conducting two main offensives on the northern and southern outskirts of the Ukrainian fortress belt in the Donetsk region, which is Moscow's main target in the spring-summer campaign of 2026. According to analysts from the American Institute for the Study of War, after failed attempts to break through to Sloviansk from the northeast through Lyman, the occupiers shifted their main efforts to the east and southeast. And in the south of the belt, they are actively penetrating into Kostyantynivka. Russian officials have repeatedly called the capture of Kostyantynivka a key condition for gaining control of the Sloviansk-Druzhkivka-Kramatorsk agglomeration and, accordingly, >> [music] >> for control over the entire Donetsk region. The Russian advance into the urban area is currently being supported not by mechanized columns, but by reconnaissance and infantry groups. Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets stated on August 26th that the enemy's main forces have yet to penetrate most of Kostyantynivka to consolidate the penetration made by advance elements of small infantry groups. According to him, the Ukrainian armed forces continue to control the northern and northwestern parts of the city, but the main forces from the southeastern part of Kostyantynivka were recently withdrawn to the eastern bank of the Kryvyi Torets River. Separate Ukrainian units, as Mashovets notes, continue to operate in the center and southeast of the city, right up to the northern outskirts of Ivanopil. Analysts noted that even if Kostyantynivka were completely captured, >> [music] >> the occupiers' penetration and limited successes would not allow the Russian army a quick operational breakthrough against either the rest of the fortress belt or the Donetsk region as a whole. At the same time, the enemy intensified attacks on targets in the immediate rear behind the front lines in order to disrupt Ukrainian logistics and prepare the ground for ground operations in Sloviansk. Analysts noted that the mechanics of such strikes had already been tested in another city. Previously, aerial bombs effectively cleared the way for infantry in Konstantinovka. Buildings were reduced to rubble, which Russian reconnaissance groups used for cover and camouflage. The enemy is likely transferring this experience to Sloviansk. Before actually attacking the city, the Russians still need to resolve several tactical tasks. Specifically, capturing large settlements to the east and southeast of Sloviansk, [music] including Rai-Oleksandrivka and Mykolayivka with their surrounding areas. The analysts' report states, "The Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration remains the Russians' key operational and strategic target, and [music] to this end, the enemy is advancing on several fronts." In particular, Konstantinovka remains the hottest spot in the south. >> [music]