Russian Forces Conquer Selidovo After Short Siege, Signaling Deteriorating Ukrainian Defenses in the Fight for Donetsk Region (Videos)
In an operation that took a little lover a week, Russian Federation forces conquered the Donetsk city of Selidovo, opening up a field of advances towards the key city of Pokrovsk.
Selidovo (in Ukrainian: Selydove) had in 2020 an estimated population of 22.276 people, being almost as large as Avdeevka.
A mere week ago, Russian troops had barely begun entering the city, now, all it remains is the usual mop-up operation.
Watch: on the main slag heap overlooking Selidovo, Russian fighters of raised the tricolor flag.
On the main slag heap overlooking Selidovo, the fighters of the 71st ObSpN who took it raised the Russian flag.
The units of the 15th Brigade tried to escape through Grigorovka, west of the city, crossing the Solyonaia River, under fire from the Russian army. pic.twitter.com/yJ4bsctU2o
— Alexeï (@jeanlol67573289) October 26, 2024
This was supposed to be a tough fight, with many streets and city blocks to cover.
To do that in less than a week is a clear sign of Ukraine’s frontline collapse.
The city suffered much less damage than in Bakhmut or Avdiivka or Mariupol.
This comes from the fact that the Ukrainian defenses are crumbling much faster than before, generating less fighting and much less damage.
Watch: Russian Flag was raised over the Mining technical School in Selidovo.
The Russian Flag was raised over the Mining technical School in Selidovo. pic.twitter.com/q98dVpM46V
— Zlatti71 (@Zlatti_71) October 26, 2024
The conquest of Selidovo – and Gornyak that also fell today – is gearing the advances towards the real goal of the offensive that is still Pokrovsk, a major logistics hub at the intersection of rail and road routes supplying the towns and villages along the Donetsk front line.
Slavyangrad reported:
“Selidovo is taken. What next?
The cascade offensive will continue to develop. After the city is taken, a small plateau and a chain of villages on it will open up before the Russian army, which will now be much easier to clear, since the large city is not in the way.
It is not yet clear whether a flank attack will be used immediately, but everything is going in the direction that if the assault on Pokrovsk from the east encounters some difficulties (and difficulties will occur), then all the conditions for its envelopment will be created from the south. In the north, Mirnograd may cause problems for the advancing Russian army, but even in this case, there is room for maneuver, and the city can be bypassed and blocked.”
Watch: Russian assault troops in Selidovo.
27-Oct.-2024. 09.00 Moscow time • Selidovo.
Our assault troops are in the city. Free movement around the center. pic.twitter.com/XwGkCsGFAV
— Zlatti71 (@Zlatti_71) October 27, 2024
The Russians actually did something pretty slick in Selidovo, very deliberately near-surrounding the city to encourage Ukrainian forces to flee before launching a final assault.
Because of that they’ve seized the city quickly and without significant damage to the urban fabric. pic.twitter.com/FHVCrjSK9J
— Armchair Warlord (@ArmchairW) October 25, 2024
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