What happens after Russia captures Ukraine's strategic stronghold?

The Ukrainian army continues to suffer one loss after another as it loses a key stronghold in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, not long after its counter-offensive ended in failure.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu officially announced on December 25 that the Russian Armed Forces had captured Maryinka - a heavily fortified city in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic for many years and served as an important stronghold of the Ukrainian army.

What happens after Russia captures Ukraine's strategic stronghold? (Photo: Sputnik)

Maryinka's location close to Donetsk allows Kiev's forces to shell the city without much difficulty, said military analyst Anatoliy Matviychuk, a retired colonel of the Russian Armed Forces.

"More importantly, they (Ukrainian forces) turned the city into a fortress. There were firing positions for long-range artillery and multiple rocket launchers to shell Donetsk. Now Maryinka is taken back and so the threat to Donetsk has been eliminated," Matviychuk said.

He also said that capturing Maryinka would give Russian forces control over "a railway and highway hub", not to mention cutting off Ukraine's supply lines in the area.

Russia's victory at Maryinka also dealt a major blow to Ukraine's fighting spirit and its confidence in holding positions, said Colonel General Georgy Shpak, former commander of Russia's Airborne Forces.

Meanwhile, military analyst and former Russian intelligence officer Rustem Klupov said that the capture of Maryinka is the beginning of an effort to penetrate the enemy's multi-layered defenses in the region, which could lead to breakthroughs in Bakhmut and Avdiivka.

“There are three directions – Bakhmut, Maryinka and Avdiivka – which would probably lead to a strategic advance in the direction of Pavlograd and Dnepropetrovsk, about 200km away, to encircle the enemy’s offensive forces that are breaking through the front line in the south,” Mr. Klupov said.

According to him, the advance of Russian forces will put the entire southern Ukrainian task force at risk because Kiev will be forced to withdraw its troops or face the risk of being divided.

" The success of this major operation was decided here, near Avdiivka and Maryinka," Mr. Klupov commented.

While the Ukrainian counter-offensive that began in early June ended without significant gains, Russian forces scored a number of victories in 2023, including capturing Bakhmut, Soledar, and Maryinka.

Kieu Anh (Source: VOV.VN)

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