On January 18, TASS news agency quoted Mr. Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), as updating on the latest developments on the ground.
Accordingly, the current focus of operations is not only stopping at controlling the area but is strongly shifting to eliminating the enemy's logistics capabilities.
In an official announcement, Mr. Pushilin said that Russian units are maintaining a stable offensive momentum through the fighting areas in Grishino and Beletskoye. The strategic target of this attack direction is Dobropolye - a city identified as one of the key logistics and equipment distribution centers of the Ukrainian army in the Donbass region.
Military observers believe that Dobropolye plays the role of a traffic "knot", where fuel, ammunition and military supplies are gathered from the rear before being distributed to forward defense lines.
Therefore, if this area is controlled or blocked by artillery fire, the supply chain for Ukrainian brigades participating in the war will be seriously disrupted, directly affecting the ability to maintain long-term combat capability.
Besides the Dobropolye front, the situation in other directions also recorded many changes. In the Slavyansk and Krasny Liman areas, after regaining control of the Zakotnoye settlement, Russian attackers continued to narrow the gap with the target.
Mr. Pushilin confirmed that the forward units are currently only about 30km from the city of Slavyansk. At this distance, the roads approaching the city have begun to be within the effective range of long-range artillery complexes.
In the Konstantinovka area, reconnaissance reports also recorded the increasing presence of Russian forces. Some Ukrainian defense positions near the Kleban-Bykskoye reservoir are believed to have been breached or had to retreat under firepower.
The Russian army's simultaneous increase in pressure on both Slavyansk and the Dobropolye logistics center shows a change in operational thinking in early 2026: Prioritizing attacks on technical and logistical links to weaken Ukraine's continuous defense system instead of direct attacks that cause heavy personnel losses.
