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The tactics of small boilers: Kremlin seeks to encircle Donbas before talks with the US

on April 10, talks between Russia and the United States are scheduled to take place in Istanbul on the normalization of diplomatic missions. However, this cover may hide a broader discussion of a future peaceful settlement. Military expert Dmitry Snegirev is sure that before the “peace talks” start, the occupiers will try to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk region. Is Russia really already abandoning its reserves, losing hundreds of soldiers every day? Whether the enemy is able to close the ring around the key cities of Donbas – details in the article Komersant ukrainskyi.

The Kremlin has intensified its offensive along the entire front line just before potential peace talks. Read about it in an exclusive commentary Komersant ukrainskyi military expert Dmitry Snegirev said in an exclusive interview.

“The Russians will try to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk region and take control of the key industrial cities that remain under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces before the peace talks begin,” Snegirev said.

Chasiv Yar – the dominant heights and defense hub of Donbas

One of the key areas of Russian attack is the town of Chasiv Yar. According to the expert, the enemy has actually entered the town and is preparing for a further breakthrough.

“The purpose of the pressure from Chasiv Yar is to reach Kostyantynivka. This town is of key importance because it is located on the dominant heights. Control over them allows us to fire on both the occupied and Ukrainian-controlled territories,” says Dmytro Snegiryov

And the capture of Chasiv Yar opens the way for the enemy to attack a number of cities.

“Chasiv Yar is actually the key to Kostyantynivka, Druzhkivka, Sloviansk, Kramatorsk. In addition, it stands at the crossroads of the main highways,” Dmytro Snegiryov

Toretsk is a threat of flanking attack

Toretsk is another center of military activity. The Russians are trying to put pressure on the Toretsk-Kostiantynivka route, which poses a flanking threat to Ukrainian units.

“In case of pressure on the Toretsk direction, it means flanking the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The city is located 10 kilometers from Horlivka and, like Chasiv Yar, is on the dominant heights,” said Snegiryov

According to the expert, control over Toretsk allows Ukrainian troops to maintain fire control over the Horlivka agglomeration, which is an important rear for Russian units.

“Toretsk is also a logistics center for our defenders. Its possible loss is a threat of a flanking attack on Ukrainian forces in the Kramatorsk sector,” said Dmytro Snegyryov

Kupyansk direction – the way to Sloviansk

Fighting in the Kharkiv region has intensified in the area of Kupyansk, particularly near the village of Dvorichne.

“The sharp intensification of the invaders in the Kupyansk direction is aimed not so much at occupying Kupyansk itself as at advancing along the Oskol River to the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration,” explains Snegiryov.

The Russians’ goal is to capture the Kupiansk-Kuzlovy railway junction, which would allow them to advance to strategically important cities in Donbas from the north.

Liman direction – the concentration of the Russian striking fist

According to the expert, the situation on the Liman direction is extremely difficult due to the redeployment of significant Russian reserves.

“The Russians have redeployed units of the 3rd and 144th motorized rifle divisions, as well as the 90th tank division. Their task is to break through to the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration,” Dmytro Snegyryov

Particularly heavy fighting is taking place in the area of Bilohorivka, where the occupants control the dominant heights, which affects the offensive in Serebryanske forestry.

“Twenty attacks were registered over the last day, 15 of them were repelled, five more are in progress,” adds Colonel Snegyryov.

Pokrovske direction is a hellish meat grinder

According to Snegiryov, the Pokrovske direction remains the most difficult. Russian troops are trying to seize the Pokrovsk-Kostiantynivka highway, but so far they have been unsuccessful.

“Daily losses of Russians here amount to 300-500 people. They have lost at least 10-15 thousand people in a month of advancing by 1.5 kilometers,” Dmytro Snegiryov

As of today, Russian losses amounted to 292 killed and wounded in just one day, and equipment and UAV control centers were destroyed.

“There is currently no threat of encirclement of Pokrovsk, nor of a breakthrough to the Dnipropetrovs’k region,” emphasizes Dmytro Snegyryov.

“Why is Pokrovsk so important? It is a transportation hub at the intersection of major highways, including the railroad. Capturing it would allow Russia to advance to Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia, Snegiryov adds.

According to Snegiryov, Russia also seeks control of the city for economic purposes:

“Pokrovsk is the logistical heart of western Donetsk region. Its loss could provide the occupiers with control over the western districts of the region,” said Snegiryov

Also, according to the military resource Deep State, the enemy is actively concentrating forces around Pokrovsk, trying to create conditions for further encirclement of the city. A significant number of enemy infantry, communications and aerial reconnaissance operators are stationed in a village near Pokrovsk.

The situation in the Pokrovsk sector remains one of the hottest on the frontline. According to the military telegram channel “Officer”, Russian troops are keeping all the entrances to the city under tight fire control, actively using fiber-optic drones.

• “Pokrovsk is under constant enemy shelling, the Russians are trying to keep all the entrances to the city under fire control with fiber-optic drones, there are a lot of them around Pokrovsk.”

Due to the constant use of FPV drones, which attack any living target if a military target cannot be hit, the number of civilian casualties is increasing. The occupiers have actually turned the city into a testing ground for terrorist tactics of “accidental destruction.”

Despite the enormous pressure, Ukrainian forces are not only holding back the enemy, but also launching a counterattack. According to the website “Thoughts of a Frontline Soldier,” the situation is stabilizing, and Ukrainian assaults are becoming more successful:

• “The situation in the Pokrovske direction has become more stable. The assaults from our side are more and more successful. So far, no significant changes” – “Thoughts of a frontline soldier”

Russian tactics – flanking and avoiding street fighting

According to Dmytro Snegiryov, Russia uses consistent tactics on all fronts:

“Since 2022, Russia has been practicing the so-called small boiler tactics – flanking coverage. This makes it possible to avoid street battles, which they fear because of the high casualties. The ratio of losses in such battles is 1 to 5, which is not in their favor,” Dmytro Snegiryov

This makes it impossible for the enemy to rotate Ukrainian troops, supply ammunition and evacuate the wounded.

Obviously, the intensification of hostilities has a political purpose – to create favorable negotiating positions for the Kremlin. Moscow wants to bargain, but the price of this bargaining is Ukrainian lives, our cities, our freedom. And we have no right to allow them to exchange kilometers for concessions.