Russia spreads false encirclement claims from Dobropillia to Kharkiv — ISW
Russian bloggers claimed they could target Dobropillia’s supply roads. Ukraine said its troops have kept the routes open.
In the span of 24 hours, Russia's Defense Ministry and pro-war channels amplified their narrative of Ukrainian troops being encircled near Dobropillia. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) contends that none of this is true. The claims emerged as Ukrainian forces continued to make progress on the frontline. Near Dobropillia, Russian bloggers reported the capability to fire on supply roads instead of surrounding troops; Ukrainian forces countered that they had thwarted Russia's attempt to cut these routes.
The Russian Defense Ministry asserted that Krasnyi Yar and Potykhonove had been captured northeast of Kharkiv, and pro-war bloggers claimed that Russian troops were poised to trap Ukrainian units near Riznykove and had already surrounded others near Rublene. ISW found no evidence to support these assertions. Ukrainian brigade spokespersons reported that Russian forces were still shelling settlements under their control and described the area as densely intermingled, with no discernible front line.
The Kremlin-linked Rybar channel alleged that Russian troops were infiltrating toward nearby settlements and achieving tactical gains south of Dobropillia. They did not claim to have secured these settlements, nor did they map an encirclement. Another Russian blogger stated that neither side had enough forces to establish and maintain a genuine encirclement.
Despite this setback, Russia persistently presses forward toward Dobropillia. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed on September 22 that its troops had surrounded Dobropillia, a transport hub en route to Ukraine's fortified cities in Donetsk Oblast. ISW discredited this claim, linking it to the UN General Assembly and Ukraine's recent battlefield gains.
A Ukrainian officer reported that Russian troops had not achieved significant advances near the town. Russian assaults proceeded despite this. On September 23, Ukraine's 1st Azov Corps stated that its forces had prevented Russian troops from physically cutting supply routes toward Dobropillia and Druzhkivka. Despite this, Russia continues its push toward Dobropillia.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
