Russian forces try to surround Velyka Novosilka from almost all directions — military expert

He shared the information on Espreso TV.

"After the capture of Vuhledar, the Russians began an offensive on Velyka Novosilka from several directions. Currently, Ukrainian soldiers defending this settlement are in a difficult situation. An important factor is the supply routes. To the north, there is the settlement of Novyi Komar, and the main route is cut off, which complicates logistical supplies both from the south and from the west," noted Zgurets.

According to the military expert, Russian forces have captured Neskuchne and Vremivka, settlements located close to Velyka Novosilka. This allows them to apply pressure on Ukrainian fighters from the south, west, and east, while to the north, the routes to Velykyi Komar are cut off.

"Therefore, it is very difficult to defend this foothold now, and the question even arises of how to ensure a planned withdrawal from this foothold, which the enemy (Russian troops - ed.) is trying to encircle from almost all directions," emphasized Zgurets.

The military expert added that just a few kilometers from Velyka Novosilka, three regions intersect – Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk. This area is important for Russia, as it allows movement towards the Zaporizhzhia region to the west and towards the Dnipropetrovsk region.

"But these are the Russian plans and intentions. The Ukrainian side's task is to find ways to counter these plans under difficult conditions. In the area of Velyka Novosilka, conditions are being created where defending and protecting this settlement should not exceed the feasibility of holding it for an extended period, considering our ability to supply forces and the risks to our military," summarized Zgurets.

• Over the past day, January 16, 141 combat clashes occurred on the Russian-Ukrainian front. In the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled 53 attacks.
• The DeepState OSINT project said that the Russian army occupied the village of Neskuchne in Donetsk region as of Thursday night, January 16.