Ukrainian intelligence units will not help: Analyst warns that once Russia breaks into Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, reinforcing them only delays inevitable
Russian forces are pushing east of Sloviansk to prepare assaults on Donbas fortress cities, including the infiltration of the final stronghold before Sloviansk. An analyst warns that reinforcing Sloviansk and Kramatorsk once Russian forces break through would only delay the inevitable, claiming Ukrainian intelligence units will not provide help. While Russian forces maintain the initiative at a slow pace, the Institute for the Study of War reports that Russia lost more territory than it captured during August.
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- ✓ Russian forces are pushing east of Sloviansk to prepare assaults on Donbas fortress cities, including the infiltration of the final stronghold before Sloviansk.
- ✓ An analyst warns that reinforcing Sloviansk and Kramatorsk once Russian forces break through would only delay the inevitable, claiming Ukrainian intelligence units will not provide help.
- ✓ While Russian forces maintain the initiative at a slow pace, the Institute for the Study of War reports that Russia lost more territory than it captured during August.
What changed
Russian forces have infiltrated the last stronghold before Sloviansk while North Korea provided new missiles.
Live updates
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Russia Advances Toward Sloviansk and Kramatorsk
Russian forces are pushing east of Sloviansk to prepare assaults on Donbas fortress cities, including the infiltration of the final stronghold before Sloviansk. An analyst warns that reinforcing Sloviansk and Kramatorsk once Russian forces break through would only delay the inevitable, claiming Ukrainian intelligence units will not provide help. While Russian forces maintain the initiative at a slow pace, the Institute for the Study of War reports that Russia lost more territory than it captured during August.
Why it matters
Sloviansk and Kramatorsk serve as critical defensive hubs in the Donbas region. The loss of these cities would significantly alter the strategic control of eastern Ukraine. North Korea has recently supplied new missiles to support the Russian offensive.
Still unconfirmed
- Ukrainian intelligence units will not help once Russia breaks into Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
- Russian forces have infiltrated the last stronghold before Sloviansk.
- North Korea has supplied new missiles to Russia.
- Russia lost more territory than it captured in August.
- Russian forces are pushing east of Slovyansk to prepare assaults on Donbas fortress cities.
What to watch next
- Confirmation of Russian entry into Sloviansk or Kramatorsk
- Official Ukrainian military response to the analyst's claim regarding intelligence support
confidence 60%Sources used for this update (9)
- Russia Matters — The Russia-Ukraine War Report Card, Aug. 18, 2026
- Euromaidan Press — Ukrainian intelligence units will not help: Analyst warns that once Russia breaks into Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, reinforcing them only delays inevitable
- Institute for the Study of War — Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 23, 2026
- SPARTANAT.com — The situation 1613 – August 21, 2026
- Межа. Новини України. — ISW says Russia lost more territory than it captured in August
- EADaily — "The situation at the front is going at a slow pace while maintaining the initiative Russian Armed Forces"
- EUobserver — Russians infiltrate last stronghold before Sloviansk, as North Korea supplies devastating new missiles (Ukraine Battlefield update, Day 1,639)
- Kyiv Post — Ukraine News Today: Breaking Updates & Live Coverage - August 24, 2026 from Kyiv Post
- The New Voice of Ukraine — Russian forces push east of Slovyansk to prepare assaults on Donbas fortress cities
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