The enemy is almost at the peak of its capabilities now, but in autumn it will decline — military expert

Hromadske Radio discussed the situation on the frontline in Pokrovsk, Chasiv Yar, and the village of Vozdvyzhenka with Pavlo Narozhnyi, a military expert.

«Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad are important because the road to Kramatorsk passes through Pokrovsk,» Narozhnyi explained. «This is one of the biggest roads, and it carries a significant amount of weapons and other supplies for the defenders of Chasiv Yar. Chasiv Yar is our outpost, located outside Kramatorsk.

If Chasiv Yar falls, Kramatorsk will fall as well. Chasiv Yar is holding out because there is a canal in front of it. Although there is no water in it, the canal itself is a natural barrier. Additionally, the city is situated on elevated ground, meaning attackers have to climb uphill to storm it. The enemy has been trying to capture it since the fall of Bakhmut, which was about six months ago.«

Narozhnyi also pointed out that another important section of the frontline is the village of Vozdvyzhenka, located behind Avdiivka and Ocheretyne.

«This village is about 5-7 km from the same road that supplies Chasiv Yar. The Russians have been fighting for this village for about a month, but our defenders are holding out there, and the enemy has not been able to make any significant progress. Now, they have shifted their focus to Pokrovsk, which is about 10 kilometers away. However, they won’t be able to just walk into this town. Even according to the most pessimistic forecasts, it would take the occupiers several months to capture Pokrovsk,» Narozhnyi noted.

According to the military expert, several factors make the capture of Pokrovsk unlikely.

«Firstly, we have ongoing mobilization. People are joining military training centers, preparing to reinforce the frontlines. This training process takes about 2-3 months, meaning army reinforcements should arrive sometime in September. This will allow for rotation and restoration of combat capability, changing the dynamics on the front.

Secondly, we are receiving weapons from our allies, though unfortunately, the deliveries have been slow. However, by autumn, we expect another tranche of weapons, which will also impact the situation,» Narozhnyi explained.

One significant challenge Ukraine faces is the use of guided aerial bombs by Russia, with up to 100 being dropped each day.

«But at the same time, we are seeing strikes on Russian airfields almost daily, with warehouses containing fuel, lubricants, and weapons being destroyed. As a result, the enemy is currently near the peak of its capabilities. This peak will pass, and the trend will shift downward in the autumn when we will have more opportunities and capabilities. That is why I am confident we will hold this line, protecting the road to Kramatorsk.«

As a reminder, Yuriy Fedorenko, the commander of the Achilles battalion of the 92nd Air Assault Brigade’s unmanned aerial vehicle system, confirmed the downing of a Russian Mi-28 helicopter by an FPV drone on Hromadske Radio.

Fedorenko also emphasized that every drone has a pilot guiding it and that drones do not replace other firepower and reconnaissance means. He highlighted the positive trend of producing drones and their components domestically, moving away from reliance on the Chinese market.

Massive Shelling of Ukraine

On August 26, the occupiers began massive shelling of Ukraine with Shahed missiles and attack drones. Explosions occurred in several cities, with reports of the first casualties, including one death.

In Kyiv, explosions were heard several times: initially due to a drone attack, and later following a missile strike. Reports indicated air defense operations were underway. As a result of the explosions, some parts of the city lost power.

In Lutsk, explosions were also heard as air defense systems were active. Mayor Ihor Polishchuk reported that the enemy attack damaged an apartment building and an infrastructure facility in the city. There is currently information about one person killed.

In the Poltava region, the enemy shelled an industrial facility. At least five people were wounded in the attack, according to Philip Pronin, head of the local military administration.

Explosions were also reported in Kryvyi Rih, Kropyvnytskyi, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, Ternopil, and other cities across Ukraine.

Additionally, Hromadske Radio’s technical services reported that due to power outages, the Hromadske Radio transmitter in Kyiv and Hirnyk, Donetsk region, is not working. However, the rest of the transmitters are operational, including the one in Mykolaiv, which is on backup power.

Due to the massive attack by the occupiers, several fires broke out in the Dnipro region, resulting in one death.

In the Zaporizhzhia region, a massive Russian attack in the morning hit an energy infrastructure facility, causing a fire.

The situation in Odesa Region is under control. Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesman for the Ukrainian Volunteer Army – South, spoke about the situation on Hromadske Radio.

The spokesman said that, according to preliminary information, there was a hit. In addition, electricity was cut off in the Odesa region, the water supply was suspended in some areas, and the movement of electric vehicles was halted. These services are now gradually being restored.

During the morning rocket attack on August 26, a series of explosions occurred in Kharkiv. The attacks on the city were confirmed by the head of the regional administration, Oleh Synehubov.