Russian Troops Focus on Vuhledar to Secure Advances Toward Pokrovsk, ISW Says

Russian troops have significantly intensified their offensive operations around Vuhledar and have so far achieved minor tactical successes in the area. These actions likely aim to create favorable conditions for Russia to advance in the Pokrovsk direction.

This was reported on September 5 by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

ISW analysts believe that Russian forces have recently escalated their ongoing offensive to eliminate the broad Ukrainian salient to the west and southwest of Donetsk and advance to and along the H-15 highway (Donetsk - Zaporizhzhia).

At the same time, the intensification of Russian offensive operations near Vuhledar most likely does not mean a decrease in the pace of Russian offensive operations elsewhere in the west of the Donetsk region.

According to ISW, the Russian military command remains focused on the offensive on Pokrovsk, likely viewing the intensified operations in the western Donetsk region as a secondary priority. The goal of this secondary effort appears to be to pin down Ukrainian forces in the west of the Donetsk region and prevent their redeployment to bolster defenses in Pokrovsk.

Military analysts added that Russian forces are unlikely to maintain their initiative in eastern Ukraine indefinitely. The combination of intensified offensive actions in the Donetsk region and ongoing operational pressures from Ukraine's incursion into Russia’s Kursk region is likely to force the Russian offensive to reach its peak sooner than the Russian military command anticipates.