Russian air strikes on Kharkiv. Day 922 of the warRussian forces have advanced to the southern outskirts of Myrnohrad, with only about seven kilometres of open space separating them from Pokrovsk (along the railway line leading from Avdiivka). After seizing smaller towns on their way (Hrodivka and Novohrodivka), the advancing units turned southwards to attack the communication lines of the Ukrainian grouping west of Donetsk.
Under threat of being cut off from their rear, Ukrainian units pulled back from Karlivka and parts of the neighbouring villages, allowing Russian forces to take control of a section of the M04 Donetsk-Dnepr motorway, which has become their main gateway towards Pokrovsk (until now, when attacking westwards, they used the railway line and local roads from Avdiivka). Fighting for Selydove is ongoing. Ukrainian units pulled from the Vuhledar and Kupiansk areas have prevented this town from falling.
It is unknown whether the Ukrainian forces operating in the Krasnohorivka-Nevelske area will decide to withdraw to the west or make an effort to hold their positions as reinforcements arrive. By early September, Russian forces have advanced to within about three kilometres of any supply and withdrawal routes available to the Ukrainian units. These are now exclusively local roads.
Nearly half of the population residing in Pokrovsk was evacuated in mid-August when the operation began. In early September, some 30,000 civilians remained in the city, or 42,000 if we include the residents of the surrounding villages. At the same time, Ukrainian forces have been transforming Pokrovsk into a fortified area.
Russian troops have advanced deeper into Toretsk in two directions and have pressed on with their efforts to outflank Vuhledar. They have cut off the latter city from the nodal town of Vodiane, which lies to the northeast of it, and have also at least partially occupied Prechystivka, which lies to the west of it. All the nodal points on the Marinka-Pavlivka road southwest of Donetsk, which until recently was the main supply route for Vuhledar, have come under Russian control.
Russian forces have been advancing in Chasiv Yar as well as south and north of it: they have occupied further areas adjacent to the Donets-Donbas canal.
They have made further advances in most of the other directions of their operations. South of Orikhiv, they have pushed Ukrainian forces back to the positions they had held before the start of their 2023 summer offensive. Russian troops have also expanded the area under their control south of Velyka Novosilka. The Russian advance southeast of Siversk and Kupiansk has deepened and widened. Russian forces have also reportedly driven Ukrainian defenders from more positions on the border of the Luhansk and Kharkiv Oblasts (near Stelmakhivka).
Ukrainian forces have occupied more areas in the Kursk Oblast, resulting in a relative realignment of the front line. They have made the greatest progress east of the town of Sudzha. However, their attacks on Korenevo have reportedly failed. Ukrainian troops have continued to reinforce the positions they have seized, carrying out more strikes on pontoon crossings across the Seym River in the Glushkovo district: three of the five such crossings built by Russian forces have reportedly been destroyed. According to the Ukrainian operational-tactical group of troops ‘Kharkiv’, more subunits from the Leningrad Military District are being moved to the Kursk Oblast.
August was the most active month for both sides in over a year. As many as 145 clashes per day were recorded on average, according to data from the Ukrainian analytical group DeepState. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a record 215 clashes took place on 29 August – twice as many as on the most active days in the war’s previous periods. When we take into account the realignment of the front line in the Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian forces captured more than 950 sq km of Russian territory in August. Russian advances, though significantly smaller, can be assessed as the most significant for the ongoing operations. In August, Russian troops reportedly occupied (depending on sources) between nearly 370 sq km and over 428 sq km. Almost two-thirds of their gains (at least 227 sq km) came in the Pokrovsk direction.