He shared his views on Espreso TV.
"After Russian occupiers managed to enter and establish positions in Ocheretyne, they started moving to align their flanks north and south of the village. This was crucial due to the threat of a breakthrough from the southern flank, so they took action to mitigate it. Berdychi village, previously held by Ukrainian Defense Forces, posed a threat to Novobakhmutivka settlements. Currently, the Russians are executing this scenario along route 0511 towards Pokrovsk," commented the military-political observer.
Kovalenko stressed that while it's premature to declare a collapse of the front, the current situation is highly unacceptable.
"Given Ocheretyne's strategic importance, it could have withstood the defense for a significant duration. However, a sequence of events necessitates serious inquiry. We trust that this investigation will acknowledge the General Staff of the Armed Forces' dissatisfaction, as evident from Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi's recent statements. Nevertheless, the swift loss of Ocheretyne should not have occurred, both presently and in the near future," emphasized Oleksandr Kovalenko.