According to a report in Avia.pro, Russian forces on the Donbass front are now advancing at the rate of 30 sq km per day. This compares to 5-10 sq. km per day in June and July, a figure which by mid-August had increased to 15-20 sq. km, according to analysis by the Finnish company Black Bird Group.
Avia.pro also cites military observer Julian Repke, stressing that the Russian army is advancing on Pokrovsk from both the north and the south, threatening to outflank Ukrainian positions. He notes that in recent days, Ukrainian troops have been forced to abandon settlements, such as Kalinovo and Memrik, and on Aug. 30, they lost another 8 sq. km of territory near Karlivka.
A sober analysis published Aug. 28 by the pro-Kiev Euromaidan Press newspaper, finds that the loss of Pokrovsk will have serious operational implications for the Ukrainian side. “The potential loss of Pokrovsk poses a serious operational threat to the logistics of the entire region, disrupting supply lines from Vuhledar in the south to Horlivka in the north,” it says. “The loss of both the road and railroad would exacerbate the situation for Ukrainian forces in the Donbass, leading to the potential loss of Kurakhove, Vuhledar, and areas both south and north of Toretsk.