“The predictions did not come true.” There will still be “painful” enemy advances near Pokrovsk, but we will be able to push the Russian Federation in other places – Zhmailo

““The predictions did not come true.” There will still be “painful” enemy advances near Pokrovsk, but we will be able to push the Russian Federation in other places — Zhmailo September 17, 5:31 p.m. Share: Soldiers of the 4th Separate Tank Brigade hone trench clearing (Photo: Ground Forces/Telegram) Executive Director of the Ukrainian Center of security and cooperation, Dmytro Zhmailo, an expert on Russian hybrid influences in the world, spoke on the air of Radio NV about the situation at the front, in particular in Donetsk region. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KImm17fVd8M He remarked”, — write on: ua.news

He noted that now the enemy is advancing in the Ughledar and Kurakhiv directions:

“[Ці напрямки] priorities for them, and they will try not to divert their efforts from there. But at the same time, charging [військ] from other directions, which are not such a priority for the Russians, it is happening, in particular, in Kurshchyna, despite the fact that counteroffensive actions have begun there, and Ukrainian troops are still trying to advance and destroy the Russians in the same way,” Zhmailo noted.

He added how events at the front will develop further:

“Probably, there will still be painful advances in the Pokrovsky and Kurakhiv directions, and perhaps we will have to leave the eastern bank of the Vovche River, where the Russians are actively rushing. We are still controlling the main highways so that this is a planned withdrawal and alignment of the front line. Although the situation there is very difficult. This is the advance in the Ukranian district, this is the advance to the settlement of Gostre, and this is Vugledar.”

As for the city of Pokrovsk itself, the predictions did not come true, Zhmailo continued:

“Although it was said that it would fall in a matter of weeks, there were pessimistic forecasts, but as far as we can see (I’m sure you were looking at the same DeepState maps) exactly the movement in the direction of the city and the crossing over the water barriers of the Zhuravka River, Kazenny Torets, in my opinion, did not take place. Although there is such an expansion of these wedges, which the Russians are currently throwing out.”

The expert also noted that the enemy “exposes” its positions in other places, because it is moving its forces, in particular, from the south, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be able to strike there in the future:

“For example, if we recall the same Kharkiv Oblast: a few weeks ago, we were able to repel the positions of an entire battalion, south of this wedge that the Russians were able to throw out. Therefore, the situation is very dynamic. If we have the strength and resources, if help arrives in time, despite these delays, [ми зможемо] to counterattack and push elsewhere.”

The Russian invaders are at a distance eight kilometers from the city of Pokrovsk and 3.5 kilometers from the city of Myrnograd, journalist Yury Butusov reported on September 3.

The ISW summary said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had recovered some lost positions in Novogrodivka, southeast of Pokrovsk. But on September 4, the Institute for the Study of War reported that the occupiers probably captured the village of Halytsynivka and the city of Novogrodivka. Before that, the 59th brigade confirmed the withdrawal from Novogrodivka.

DeepState wrote that the troops of the aggressor country advanced in the Toretsk region and near Vugledar, which they are trying to bypass from the flanks.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrsky claims that the Ukrainian forces managed to stop the advance of the Russian invaders in the direction of Pokrov.

On September 16, DeepState analysts reported that the Russian occupiers advanced near Kolisnikivka, Katerynivka, Vodyanyi, Ugledar, as well as in Spirn and Ukrainsk in the Donetsk region.