Russian army captures Kurakhove, analysts say. Ukraine's Armed Forces deny

The OSINT project DeepState reports.

According to project analysts, Russian troops have captured Kurakhove. The Russian army has also advanced near Andriivka, Solone, and Novosilka in Donetsk region.

What Ukrainian Armed Forces say

According to a spokesperson for the Khortytsia military grouping, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have positions within Kurakhove, and the Russians have not fully seized the town.

‘According to my information, there are battles in Kurakhove. Among other things, Ukrainian positions are held at the thermal power plant, which is part of Kurakhove, so we cannot say that Russian troops have taken the town completely,’ he said in a commentary to Suspilne.

At the same time, he noted that most of the town was simply ‘razed to rubble and this must be admitted’.

• In early December, Chairman of the Council of Reservists of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Ivan Tymochko noted that the occupation of Kurakhove remains Russia's target. ‘Kurakhove is now a priority for the Russians to launch an offensive on Pokrovsk,' he said.

• On December 26, Ukrainian Army General and former head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service (2005-2010) Mykola Malomuzh pointed out that Putin had tasked the capture of Kurakhove within the next few days, even before the New Year. The Russian army's aim is  to cut off the route connecting Kurakhove, which is critical for the logistics of weapons, equipment, and ammunition supply to Ukrainian troops on the Zaporizhzhia front. "Then they plan to move south to encircle the broader Pokrovsk area. In the next 2-3 days, they aim to break through with assault groups, and then proceed with the semi-encirclement of Pokrovsk. The goal is to encircle our forces and either push our troops out of Pokrovsk or strike them with attacks, ultimately surrounding our grouping," Malomuzh said.