Urban fighting and flanking encirclement: over the weekend, the situation significantly worsened for Ukrainian forces in the area of two cities in Donetsk region – Selydove and Horniak

Over the weekend, the situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) significantly worsened in the areas surrounding two cities in the Donetsk region: Selidovo and Horyanyk.

Yesterday, Ukrainian forces reported that Russian troops had cut off all supply routes to Selidovo except for one. Based on maps, this appears to refer to the route to Pokrovsk, which mirrors the situation in Vuhledar to a large extent.

Today, a fighter with the call sign “Muchnoy” reported that Russian forces had made advances both in the northern and eastern parts of Selidovo and were also increasing their control over the key road leading to Pokrovsk.

Russian sources claim they are attempting to gain control of the highway from the south near the village of Vyshneve. According to the Ukrainian mapping group Deep State, Russian forces are still far from this village. However, Russian sources have published maps indicating that fighting is already taking place on the approaches to Vyshneve.

Military sources from both sides report that Russian troops are advancing through the single-story residential areas of Selidovo, while the main UAF stronghold in the city is based in the central blocks of multi-story buildings. In Vuhledar, a similar situation occurred, though the UAF withdrew before a full-scale assault on the high-rise buildings could take place, due to the threat of encirclement.

“The next phase of the battle for the city has begun, and it’s not an easy one for us,” said a Ukrainian officer with the call sign “Alex.”

Further southeast, in Horyanyk, Russian forces have also made gains. Ukrainian military reports indicate progress both within the city itself and to the south, near Zoryane. Previously, assaults on Horyanyk came only from the north, but now they are also advancing from the south, complicating the situation for the UAF.

Russian sources claim their troops control a third of Horyanyk’s buildings and that fighting is occurring in half of the city. Ukraine has not commented on this.

If Horyanyk is captured, it would make Kurakhivka more vulnerable, as Russian forces could launch assaults from the north. The settlement is already under pressure from Russian positions in Ostrovske to the south, which poses a threat of an encirclement from the west, while fighting continues to the east in nearby Zoryane.

Capturing Kurakhivka would allow Russian forces to cut off a large UAF salient in this area, straighten the front line, and proceed with an assault on and potential encirclement of another city—Kurakhove.