Delayed reports hindered Ukraine’s response to Russian push near Dobropillia - expert

This was stated on Espreso by Serhiy Zgurets, director of the media and consulting company Defense Express.

“The situation related to the enemy’s attempt to encircle Pokrovsk and cut logistics by advancing toward Dobropillia has been ongoing for at least two weeks. We know about the enemy’s attempts to break through toward Zolotyi Kolodiaz. Now, thanks to counterattacks by our units, the occupiers’ advance has been stopped. The situation is somewhat stabilized, but the enemy continues to redeploy forces to hold its positions,” Zgurets said.

According to him, the enemy was pushed back near Zolotyi Kolodiaz. There is still fighting near the village of Kucheriv Yar, where Russian troops are trying to hold their defense. In addition, enemy forces have appeared in the area of Nykonorivka, where Ukrainian troops have been conducting counterattacks. For the past three days, intense battles have taken place in the Nykonorivka area.

“I think the enemy’s plan was recognized with some delay. The push toward Dobropillia was slowed down in part because of not entirely adequate reports from brigade commanders defending the sector. They did not want to report negative information up the chain. As a result, the situation shifted into a ‘firefighting’ format, with our brigades redeployed to block Russian advances. I believe conclusions will be drawn now. We need to find certain antidotes to Russia’s tactics,” the military expert noted.

Zgurets added that the enemy’s advance relies on three key elements: constant movement of small groups, the use of guided aerial bombs (KABs) as cover and preparation for assaults, and the active use of drone systems.

• On August 21, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Ukrainian forces in the Pokrovsk sector had cleared six settlements and eliminated hundreds of occupying Russian soldiers.