Drapatiy strengthens Donetsk region’s defenses ahead of Russia’s autumn offensive: what has changed?

Russian occupation forces have moved less than 15 km closer to Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, key cities of Ukrainian defense in the Donetsk region. Against this backdrop, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are strengthening command in the most difficult areas, preparing for a possible escalation of fighting in the fall.

Reuters writes about this.

According to the publication, both cities are already experiencing increasingly intense attacks from Russian drones and guided bombs.

The defense of Donetsk region became one of the main challenges for the renewed command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, headed by General Mykhailo Drapaty. After his appointment, he began to change the system of command of the troops and transferred more powers to operational-level commanders.

Experienced Ukrainian commanders have been assigned to key areas of the front. Among them are Andriy Biletsky, who heads the Third Army Corps, and Denys Prokopenko, commander of the First Corps of the Azov National Guard.

Their units had already taken part in stabilizing difficult sections of the front. In particular, Biletsky’s forces operated near Sloviansk, and Prokopenko’s units stopped a large-scale Russian offensive attempt in the Dobropillya area.

Emil Ishkulov, former commander of the 80th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade, also joined the defense reinforcement. He led the 11th Army Corps, which is responsible for the Slavyansk and Kramatorsk directions.

Military analysts expect the coming months to be particularly difficult for Ukraine’s defense. Carnegie Endowment analyst Michael Coffman believes that September and October could be the most intense fighting of the year.

One of the reasons he cites is a possible change in the Russian army’s tactics due to worsening weather.

“As weather conditions worsen, drones become less effective. And that’s where the Russians are trying to bring mobility back to the battlefield,” Kofman explained.

At the same time, the Russian army has not yet managed to achieve a rapid breakthrough of the Ukrainian defense. Military analyst Emil Castelhelmi noted that Russia has not yet found an effective way to overcome Ukrainian positions, which are largely defended with the help of drones.

“This is a situation that could still develop in different ways, and many scenarios are still being considered. Overall, it is difficult to imagine how the Russians will be able to succeed beyond the tactical level,” he said.

Despite their numerical superiority, Russian troops are advancing slowly. At the same time, Reuters calls one of Ukraine’s biggest problems a shortage of personnel. Therefore, Drapaty and the new Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara also face the task of strengthening the mobilization system and providing the army with the necessary number of soldiers.

As a reminder, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykhailo Drapaty has announced the principles by which he will lead the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Among the priorities are the preservation of personnel, professional personnel decisions, and rapid adaptation of the troops to changes on the battlefield.

As reported, Mykhailo Drapaty, in his first month as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has already begun to restructure the military command system. Among the main steps are changes in the eastern direction, new corps commanders, and preparations for updating the leadership of the Land Forces.

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