Russian army seeks to seize Hirnyk to advance on Kurakhove – military expert Zgurets

He said this on Espreso TV.

"According to the General Staff's reports, half of the clashes are concentrated in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove sectors. A large portion of Russia's military efforts is focused on capturing Hirnyk and moving toward Selydove. Why is this so critical for them? Hirnyk is on a hill — it's the highest point in this area of Donetsk. From that height, they pose a serious threat to our troops stationed in lower areas, like Halytsynivka, Nevelske, and Krasnohorivka," Zgurets stated.

He added that Russia's objective is to take Hirnyk to weaken Ukraine's defenses and push forward to Kurakhivka and Kurakhove.

"The defense of Ukrainian positions heavily relies on the Ukrayinsk - Hirnyk - Kurakhivka line, where we’re holding the defense. Russia is also attempting attacks near Selydove," Zgurets continued.

• On September 10, Zgurets reported that Ukrainian forces had begun retreating from a risky area on the eastern bank of the Vovcha River in the Donetsk region, amid encirclement threats.
• Meanwhile, Russian forces launched an Iskander ballistic missile attack on a Ukrainian troop assembly in the Sumy region.