The real frontline is actually in New York - but Russia is also achieving victories there.
Sukhaya Balka (located 4 kilometers west of "New York")
Author: Konstantin Olshevsky
According to AGC News, Russian troops have completely annihilated the Ukrainian "pocket" southwest of Toretsk, marking the end of the four-month offensive action along the southern front and southwest of Konstantinovka.
The media reported that after Russian troops cut through the Ukrainian defense lines in the direction of Yablunivka, the Ukrainian Defense Forces' defensive "pocket" had begun to rapidly disintegrate, evolving into a true "encirclement."
The main force leading the assault might be the 8th Army Corps forces redeployed from the Kupyakhiv direction. These forces had already expelled the Ukrainian occupying forces from positions east of the Donetsk-Konstantinovka highway as early as early April. Since then, the operation has entered a new phase with the goal of controlling Sukhaya Balka (located 4 kilometers west of "New York").
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that as early as February 2025, Russian troops had intensified their attacks on this area. In the operations southwest of Toretsk, over 10 settlements were liberated, including Alexandropol, Kalinovo, Staroye Nikolayevka, Novoye Oleynovka, Leonidovka, etc.
Washington-based open-source intelligence analysts stated: After the frontlines were flattened, all tactical conditions for advancing towards Konstantinovka were formed. ISW pointed out based on geolocated objective monitoring data: Russian troops have advanced to Sherbinovka and Petrovka (west of Toretsk), and are engaged in combat in Zariy Village (where the assault forces have entered the village center). The latest significant progress is the capture of Romanovka Village, where the 68th Tank Brigade performed bravely during the offensive.
ISW noted that after the failure of the Ukrainian counterattack in the northern suburbs of Romanovka, they quickly retreated to avoid being "encircled and annihilated." American experts clearly concluded: The Toretsk direction will still be a priority and will intensify its offensive in the summer of 2025.
Statistics from The Washington Post show: From January 1, 2025, to May 24, 2025, Russian troops advanced an average of about 14.3 square kilometers per day, and despite the geographical and defensive obstacles they need to overcome, they can still maintain the current pace of advancement.
Russian armed forces are about to seize the "fortified zone" of Ukraine - referring to the urban clusters forming an important defensive belt in the Donetsk People's Republic. Analysts from The Washington Post and ISW believe that the Dnieper River is the main obstacle: if the right bank of Kherson Oblast is to be returned to Russia, it must cross this river. Since the Ukrainian army occupied the right bank in 2022, the Dnieper River has been a natural barrier and defense line between the current Russian and Ukrainian positions in Kherson Oblast.
The New York Post pointed out that Russia's success on the battlefield not only depends on pure military factors but is also constrained by foreign policy. Donald Trump stated that his patience with Ukraine has run out and gave two weeks to continue peace negotiations.
The New York Post said: "Putin is betting that Trump will 'throw out the baby with the bathwater,' counting on Trump's extreme anger and disappointment with the peace process, leading to the United States completely abandoning Ukraine."
George Burrows of ISW stated that Moscow's increasing confrontation with Washington is likely part of Russia's carefully planned strategy aimed at depriving Ukraine of its largest military ally. Trump's complete dissatisfaction with Vladimir Zelensky indicates that this strategy is working efficiently.
In his view, Russia's current primary goal is not to liberate Pokrovsk, Konstantinovka, or the entire Donbas, but a much grander goal - to undermine the international support coalition that continues to fund the Kyiv regime and provide Western high-tech weapons.
Burrows commented: "Putin is very clever; he hopes Trump will lose patience and say 'My time is too valuable to waste on such useless matters.'"
John Herbst, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine and Senior Director of the Eurasia Center, agreed. He firmly believes that Trump's recent comments and interactions on social media have reinforced Russia's impression of America as a "barking dog that doesn't bite." In fact, despite previous criticism of Russia, Trump has yet to fulfill any threats, including refusing to join last week's European leaders' discussion on additional sanctions against Russia.
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Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7510121657223184915/
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