Ukrainian army will retreat from Vuhledar - Kurakhove - Pokrovsk sector if necessary — serviceman

Ivan Tymochko, chairman of the Council of Reservists of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, told the Espreso TV channel.

“The Kurakhove direction will be an important one, but not the most important. This line should be considered jointly: Vuhledar - Kurakhove - Pokrovsk. Yes, this is a critical area where the enemy will try to launch offensives. Moreover, they have built all the logistics they can in this direction. Let's be honest, this is a direction where they hope to get at least some operational results. But we also need to understand that if there is a need for the Armed Forces to retreat, they will retreat, no matter how painful it may sound for Ukrainian citizens,” he said.

If there is a question of losing territories or military groups, the troops will retreat and continue to fight, said Tymochko.

“In fact, on the one hand, a large area is occupied by the enemy, but we have four to five times more territory where we are independent, where the enemy has not been able to enter, where we form our reserves and logistics, and where we have a foothold for defense and activity. Yes, no one wants to lose even a piece of territory, but we must understand that this is a war for the country's survival,” he added.

• On September 23, British intelligence estimated how many kilometers the Russian troops have to reach Pokrovsk.