Russian forces have advanced east of Slavyansk, preparing for frontal attacks on Slavyansk and the rest of the fortress belt.
Ukrainian military observer Konstantin Mashovets reported that Russian front units in the direction of Slavyansk are advancing simultaneously through several tactical areas and added that the command of the Russian 3rd Combined Army (Southern Military District) is strengthening its presence after successful operations and consolidation of positions.
This is written by the "Institute for the Study of War" (ISW).
Mashovets reported that Russian forces had reached the southeastern outskirts of Piskunivka (east of Slavyansk) from the east and northeast from positions they had taken on the southern bank of the Seversky Donetsk River, indicating that Russian forces had consolidated positions in Zakytne (northeast of Piskunivka) and Kriva Luka (southeast of Piskunivka).
Mashovets reported that Russian forces had also infiltrated the southern and southeastern outskirts of Nikolaevka (east of Slavyansk) from western Rai-Oleksandrovka (east of Slavyansk).
Russian forces are likely trying to capture Nikolaevka to create conditions for future Russian attacks on Slavyansk from the east, as Ukrainian defenses have slowed Russian efforts to advance from the Liman and Yampil directions. to the northeast. ISW observed evidence on August 22 indicating that Russian forces had penetrated south of Rai-Oleksandrovka.
ISW additionally observed reports on August 23 that Ukrainian forces had repelled a Russian mission in Nikolaevka.
Mashovets reported that Russian forces had penetrated both through Markovo and to Zapovidne (both southeast of Slavyansk) and through three other settlements along the E-40 Bakhmut-Slavyansk highway in an attempt to consolidate their positions on the west bank of the Seversky Donets-Donbass Canal and reach the Seversky Donets River, just east of Slavyansk.
Russian forces are likely prioritizing attacks along the south bank of the Seversky Donets River and from Rai-Oleksandrovka toward Nikolaevka in an attempt to seize local tactical heights and create more favorable conditions for an offensive against Slavyansk, which bypasses difficult terrain and strong Ukrainian defensive lines to the northeast.
Russian forces are thus conducting a dual tactical effort to link up elements operating near Kriva Luka and Rai-Oleksandrovka to launch a simultaneous assault on the settlement from dominant terrain to the east and south.
Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to set unrealistic deadlines for the Russian military to capture the entire Donetsk region, likely in part due to his misunderstanding of battlefield realities.
His Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, stated on August 23 that Putin had recently ordered the Russian military to complete the capture of Donetsk region by December 31, 2026, and noted that Putin's main operational goals in Ukraine remain the capture of the cities of Konstantinovka, Slavyansk, and Kramatorsk in Donetsk region - all part of Ukraine's heavily fortified "Fortress Belt" defensive line.
Zelensky said that Russian forces had suffered about 267,000 casualties, including about 155,000 killed, along the entire front line since the beginning of 2026, and that approximately 70 to 80 percent of all Russian losses were in the direction of Konstantinovka. Zelensky added that the Kremlin was preparing to mobilize about 300,000 troops after the State Duma elections on September 18–20, in part to strengthen Russian positions in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
On August 23, Zelensky presented a joint proposal to Ukraine, the United States, and Europe to end the war in Ukraine that offered significant Ukrainian concessions, although Putin and other Kremlin officials continued to refuse to compromise on any of their main demands. Zelensky said that Ukraine had developed a proposal for negotiations during talks with US special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and former senior adviser to the US President Jared Kushner, which outlined three key priorities for ending the war: a ceasefire, a reciprocal withdrawal of Russian and Ukrainian forces from the current front line, and security guarantees from the European Union (EU) and NATO.
Zelensky noted that the American and European sides had already agreed to the proposal and that the US planned to discuss the plan with both Ukraine and Russia. The latest peace proposal demonstrates Ukraine's continued determination to end the war, even at the cost of significant concessions. The Kremlin, in contrast, has consistently rejected all Ukrainian, European and American peace proposals and has consistently reiterated its insistence on Ukraine's capitulation to all its demands.