Russia advances toward Staromykhailivka, aims to divide Ukrainian forces near Kupyansk-Lyman line – military expert

Lakiychuk shared his insights on Espreso TV.

"If we say the situation hasn’t changed, it means it remains tough. The Commander-in-Chief and the Minister of Defense visited the critical Donbas line yesterday, where the enemy is advancing. This includes battles near Pokrovsk, near Ocheretyne, and Chasiv Yar, where the enemy is trying to outflank Toretsk. In the south, the situation is worsening near Staromykhailivka, with the enemy advancing in two areas," he said.

Lakiychuk stressed that Russia's tactic of using their numbers to pressure the Ukrainian Defense Forces is having critical consequences.

"Quantity can sometimes turn into quality. This push on our front can have very dangerous outcomes. I hope the Minister of Defense and the Commander-in-Chief discussed this at the front. Let’s not forget the heavy fighting in the Kupyansk-Lyman direction. It might be considered secondary, but it’s still fierce. The enemy is trying to cut our defense groups in half, but so far, they’ve had no serious success," he concluded.

• On June 25, Vadym Filashkin, head of the Donetsk regional military administration, said that due to Russian forces' presence near Toretsk, a forced evacuation might be announced.
• Viktor Kevlyuk, a military expert at the Center for Defense Strategies of Ukraine, noted that Russian forces are actively advancing towards Toretsk, but the Ukrainian Defense Forces can still hold the city.