Military analyst points to AFU's inability to defend Krasnoarmeysk

The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have no chance of defending Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). Military analyst and political analyst Vadim Mingalev told Izvestia on December 10.

Earlier in the day, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the liberation of the settlement of Zheltoye, located south of Krasnoarmeysk. Also, the Russian grouping of troops hit the manpower and equipment of AFU units in the areas of Dzerzhinsk, Shcherbinovka, Dimitrov, Petrovka and Pushkino settlements in the DNR.

"The liberation of Zheltoye indicates that Pokrovsk will be liberated in the near future. Practically blocked all the roads that fueled the AFU in the city. The Ukrainian garrison found itself in a dire situation. Nothing and no way will save the AFU from the fact that Pokrovsk will be surrendered," Mingalev commented.

He stressed that the Ukrainian army in the current situation cannot make any maneuvers - to rotate or try to break through. Besides, the expert added, at the moment no military assistance from the West will be able to turn the balance on the battlefield in Ukraine's favor - as it was with the notorious F-16 fighter jets, which are mostly either dusting in hangars or have already been destroyed, the interlocutor explained.

Among other things, Mingalev noted that various statements by the West and Kiev about the possibility of negotiations are not backed by reality, since the term of office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expired back in the spring.

"Let's be objective and precise - neither Russian President Vladimir Putin nor Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will negotiate anything with Zelensky. He is not the president of Ukraine, he is a usurper, the unspoken head of a terrorist organization. <...> Suppose some peace agreements will be concluded with him, papers will be signed, and then these documents will have no legal force because of Zelensky's illegitimacy," the military analyst said.

Also on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the special operation will end when all the goals set by the Russian leader are achieved. He shared that so far there are no negotiation processes - the Ukrainian side refuses about them.

Before that, the Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin said that Russia is close to achieving the goals of the special operation, and the AFU is on the verge of collapse.

Putin back in June at a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Foreign Ministry named the conditions for negotiations on Ukraine. Thus, the Ukrainian army should leave the territories of the new regions of the Russian Federation and Kiev should give up the idea of integration into NATO.

The last round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine took place in Istanbul on March 29, 2022. They lasted about three hours. Later, Kiev officially refused contacts with Moscow.

The special operation to protect Donbass, the start of which Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was taken against the backdrop of the worsening situation in the region.