Kurakhove almost 70% surrounded – military expert Stupak

He shared his assessment on Espreso TV.

“When we look at the front, Kurakhove stands out. The clock is already ticking — not weeks, maybe just days — until the city will have to be abandoned, unfortunately. The situation is extremely critical. Russian forces have advanced very close to Kurakhove, and it’s now almost 70% surrounded,” Stupak said.

The expert noted that only one road remains, linking Kurakhove to Pokrovsk. However, in some sections, Russian troops are just 5-6 kilometers away.

“In the Velyka Novosilka area, Russian forces have also made a small advance toward this road. They’re pushing north, trying to cut it off. Our (Ukrainian - ed.) forces will have to retreat from Kurakhove. I only hope the withdrawal will be more orderly this time, unlike what happened in Vuhledar. Back then, there was no formal retreat order, and the troops had to gather their equipment and evacuate under constant Russian shelling, acting on their own initiative and risking,” Stupak added.

• On November 25, there were at least 191 combat clashes across the front lines. Russian forces continue their heaviest assaults in the Pokrovsk direction.
• Yuriy Fedorenko, commander of the ACHILLES UAV Assault Battalion of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade, stated that Ukrainian forces are destroying 95% of Russian equipment.
• Meanwhile, Serhiy Zgurets, military expert and CEO of Defense Express, emphasized that Velyka Novosilka has recently emerged as another key hotspot on the front.