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

[ad_1] Editor's word: This text has been up to date to incorporate the most recent report from Ukraine’s Normal Workers.

Russian forces have made a push towards the Dobropillia–Kramatorsk freeway in Donetsk Oblast, seizing positions in close by settlements to help additional offensive operations, the Ukrainian battlefield monitoring group DeepState reported on Aug. 11.

The up to date map, compiled by DeepState via a mixture of open-source knowledge and testimonies from models on the bottom, exhibits the gray zone touching the freeway, which was used often by civilian and navy site visitors as lately as mid-July.

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

Leveraging their numerical superiority, Russian forces have superior into Kucheriv Yar, Zolotyi Kolodiaz, and Vesele, the place they're reportedly consolidating positions for a renewed offensive and full occupation, in accordance with DeepState .

Russian troops are additionally making an attempt to ascertain a foothold in Petrivka and Novovodiane, on the opposite aspect of the freeway.

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

Piercing the Ukrainian protection far west of the principle agglomeration of Ukrainian-controlled cities in Donetsk Oblast — Sloviansk, Kramatorsk Druzhkivka, and Kostiantynivka — these newest positive aspects threaten to severely compromise Kyiv's total protection of the war-torn japanese area.

New fortifications have been constructed round Zolotyi Kolodiaz, Shakhove, and close by settlements — positions that Russian forces are at present bypassing however might seize and repurpose for defensive use in future operations, DeepState stated.

"After last consolidation and accumulation, makes an attempt to maneuver deeper into the territory will probably be inevitable, and drone crews will probably be introduced in, which can complicate the restructuring of different logistics and the upkeep of surrounding positions by Ukrainian forces," the report learn.

"With this growth of occasions, if it doesn't change, we might encounter a scenario the place Dobropillia falls sooner than Pokrovsk."

<img alt="Article image" loading="lazy" width="1768" height="1051" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" style="color:transparent;object-fit:cover" sizes="50vw" srcset="/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.kyivindependent.com%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F08%2FScreenshot-2025-08-11-at-20_31_44.png&w=384&q=100 384w, /_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.kyivindependent.com%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F08%2FScreenshot-2025-08-11-at-20_31_44.png&w=640&q=100 640w, /_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.kyivindependent.com%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F08%2FScreenshot-2025-08-11-at-20_31_44.png&w=750&q=100 750w, /_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.kyivindependent.com%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F08%2FScreenshot-2025-08-11-at-20_31_44.png&w=828&q=100 828w, /_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.kyivindependent.com%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F08%2FScreenshot-2025-08-11-at-20_31_44.png&w=1080&q=100 1080w, /_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.kyivindependent.com%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F08%2FScreenshot-2025-08-11-at-20_31_44.png&w=1200&q=100 1200w, /_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.kyivindependent.com%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F08%2FScreenshot-2025-08-11-at-20_31_44.png&w=1920&q=100 1920w, /_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.kyivindependent.com%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F08%2FScreenshot-2025-08-11-at-20_31_44.png&w=2048&q=100 2048w, /_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.kyivindependent.com%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F08%2FScreenshot-2025-08-11-at-20_31_44.png&w=3840&q=100 3840w" src="https://kyivindependent.com/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.kyivindependent.com%2Fcontent%2Fimages%2F2025%2F08%2FScreenshot-2025-08-11-at-20_31_44.png&w=3840&q=100"/> The estimated Russian advance in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, as of Aug. 11, 2025, in accordance with DeepState map. (DeepState / OpenStreetMaps) Ukraine's Normal Workers said in its evening update that Russian forces carried out 35 assaults within the Pokrovsk space on Aug. 11 . The heaviest preventing was reported close to Poltavka, Popiv Yar, Mayak, Dorozhne, Nikanorivka, Kucheriv Yar, Nove Shakove, Novoeekonomichne, Sukhetske, Rodynske, Promin, Udachne, Lysivka, Zvirove, and Horikhove, with three battles nonetheless underway.

The Normal Workers stated Russian troops are exploiting their numerical benefit, making an attempt to "breach Ukrainian strains in small teams regardless of sustaining heavy losses."

"The Commander-in-Chief has determined to deploy extra forces and sources to detect and destroy enemy sabotage teams which can be penetrating the protection line," the announcement said .

The Kyiv Impartial couldn't instantly confirm these reviews. The press officers of two Ukrainian brigades recognized to be preventing within the space declined to touch upon the scenario.

The information comes as Russia, going through the prospect of peace talks, has aimed to surge ahead on the entrance line to place itself in the most effective place at a possible negotiating desk.

The most popular elements of the entrance line stay in Donetsk Oblast, the place Ukrainian brigades, all severely understrength in infantry, are battling to carry the road in opposition to a Russian attacking drive that has discovered to focus on weak factors within the Ukrainian protection.

Civilian evacuations from contested or occupied areas stay extraordinarily harmful, with Russian forces repeatedly accused of concentrating on non-combatants.

Pokrovsk is the city of my childhood. Now I watch it die

A few weeks ago, my colleague Francis Farrell and I were in Pokrovsk. As a war reporter, I’m used to seeing war-torn towns. Last year, we saw glide bombs raining down on Vovchansk, filmed interviews with soldiers in the ruins of Lyman, and joined a volunteer evacuation mission taking civilians out of Selydove, which was on the verge of occupation. But this time was different: Pokrovsk isn’t just another city for me. My native city is just a half-hour drive away from Pokrovsk, and it’s a much

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