Ukrainian troops in Kostiantynivka face danger of being surrounded
Ukrainian troops in Kostiantynivka are at risk of being surrounded due to the tense fighting situation in the area.
Báo Khoa học và Đời sống•31/05/2025
Currently, the Russian Armed Forces (RFAF) south of the city of Kostiantynivka, located in the west of Donetsk Oblast, have broken through the defense lines of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) and continue to advance from multiple directions towards the Kleban-Byk reservoir. This large artificial reservoir is located between the cities of Toretsk and Konstantinovka in Donbass. The Rybar channel reported that the RFAF's Army Groups Center and South continued to break through to the Kleban-Byksky reservoir (area 2.9 thousand hectares) on the Bychek River, a tributary of the Krivoy Torets River (right tributary of the Kazeny Torets River, Seversky Donets River basin). Thereby forming a siege with two Ukrainian army groups stationed on the right and left sides of the city of Toretsk.
Building on the achievements, the commanders of the RFAF Central and Southern Army Groups quickly brought in new units to break through, moving in two diverging beams, creating a siege of the Ukrainian army in the area behind the city of Toretsk and in the village of Zorya. Now the thrusts of the two RFAF groups, trying to take full control of the H-32 highway and advance to Konstantinovka, attack the south of the city. Thus, the AFU units south of the Kleban-Byk reservoir have less and less time to withdraw their troops and weapons. On May 28, Russian troops pushed the Ukrainians back from Poltavka and began attacking Ukrainian positions near Rusyn Yar. Russian troops also advanced along the Bychok River and reached the outskirts of the village of Yablonovka, which is located next to the village of Aleksandro-Kalinovo and almost borders the Kleban-Bykskoye reservoir. It appears that the Ukrainian forces south of Kostiantynivka are running out of reinforcements, as their defenses there are weakening. In a few weeks, the Ukrainian forces near Toretsk will likely be cut off from the main force by the RFAF Army Group Center. After that, the Russians are expected to attack Konstantinovka. According to the analysis of Ukrainian military expert, retired SBU colonel Oleg Starikov, confirmed on his video blog that the Ukrainian troops in the southern direction of Konstantinovsky are under threat of encirclement. According to him, it is time to quickly withdraw the remaining units, before it is too late.
Colonel Oleg Starikov said that on the southern front of Konstantinovskoye, fighting was taking place at Popov Yar and was expected at Poltavka. The bridgehead from Novaya Alenovka to Yablonovka, where fighting took place in a densely populated area. With the threat of encirclement by Russian forces, for the Ukrainian defense forces in Gnativka, Romanivka and Zorya; currently the above positions, there is a retreat route from the western flank to the Kleban-Bykskoye reservoir, but all are open fields. It would be very dangerous for the Ukrainian forces to retreat through this area to the rear, under the threat of FPV UAVs and Russian artillery fire. According to Starikov, the RFAF made great advances in the "cauldron" south of Zorya and north of Alexandropol. The AFU fell at Gnativka, while in neighboring Stara Mykolaivka they were officially overrun. After the Russian army closed the "door of death", the AFU fled in panic through a small corridor of just over 2km. With their current capabilities, the Ukrainian troops here cannot do anything to push the Russians back from Zorya and Romanivka; they even risk being surrounded by the Russians. Given the situation, they should quickly withdraw from this area to avoid a repeat of the Ugledar disaster, Starikov concluded.
Meanwhile, although the situation in the direction of Chasov Yar remains very difficult, the Russian army is still "diligently" advancing. The Military Review reported yesterday that the Russian army has taken control of half of the Levanevsky district, south of Chasov Yar. The Levanevsky district, like the Shevchenko district, is an area with many high-rise buildings; in addition, the Ukrainian army has concentrated a large number of FPV UAVs in this area, including the BPS 427 Rarog battalion and several other UAV battalions, making it difficult for the Russian army to attack. However, despite this, the Russian army is still “steadfastly advancing”. Currently, RFAF units have taken control of most of Chasov Yar. Recently, the Novoseverny and Zapadny Poselok sub-districts were completely overrun by Russian troops. Currently, for RFAF to fully control Chasov Yar, they must capture the Shevchenko sub-district, the rest of the Levanevsky sub-district, and the Zavodskoy sub-district. However, the AFU still has enough forces and weapons to launch a counterattack, which can be carried out in the direction of the Novy Kanal sub-district or to the north or south of the city. It can be concluded that the AFU continues to hold the rest of Chasov Yar at all costs, because the loss of this city would not only be a strategic blow to Kiev, but also a serious blow to the spirit of resistance of Ukraine.
Chasov Yar is an important fortified area of the AFU in the Donetsk defense arc, which stretches from Siversk, through Chasov Yar, Pokrovsk down to Velyka Novosyolka. If the RFAF breaks this link, they will have an important bridgehead from which to continue their attacks on Konstantinovka, Druzhkovka and the two remaining major cities of Donetsk, Slavyansk and Kramatorsk. (photo source: Military Review, Ukrinform, Liveuamap, Rybar).
Now the thrusts of the two RFAF groups, trying to take full control of the H-32 highway and advance to Konstantinovka, attack the south of the city. Thus, the AFU units south of the Kleban-Byk reservoir have less and less time to withdraw their troops and weapons. 
Colonel Oleg Starikov said that on the southern front of Konstantinovskoye, fighting was taking place at Popov Yar and was expected at Poltavka. The bridgehead from Novaya Alenovka to Yablonovka, where fighting took place in a densely populated area. 
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