Russia's next move: Focus on Kurakhove – military expert Zgurets

Zgurets shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

"The strategy behind Russia's actions hasn’t changed. Their main focus is still the Pokrovsk direction. After capturing Vuhledar, the occupiers are stepping up their offensive toward Kurakhove, with our defenses centered around Bohoyavlenka. I believe this will now be the focal point of the fighting. Regarding Krasnohorivka, that’s the approach toward Kurakhivka, where Russia is also advancing to increase pressure on Kurakhove from the south. Near Selydove, Russian troops are attempting flanking attacks, but they're not seeing much success. We're witnessing them stick to their initial plans, leveraging manpower to try and force progress," Zgurets explained.

He added that when Russian forces tried to outflank Vuhledar, one of their key targets was Prechystivka, aiming to bypass Vuhledar from the west.

"But now, Russian efforts from Prechystivka are pushing westward toward Zolota Nyva. This is another attempt to advance along the Zaporizhzhia front, setting the stage for a buildup of forces to cut off one of our groups. It’s evident that Russia is indeed gathering troops in this direction. The broader picture is clear: the aggressor is applying pressure along the entire front line to hinder our ability to move reserves. Their immediate priority is taking Kurakhove, with Pokrovsk in sight if conditions allow," he concluded.

• On October 7, Ukraine's General Staff reported 141 combat clashes across the front line. Russian forces continue their assaults on Ukrainian positions, particularly in the Donetsk region.