Loss of Vuhledar more psychologically damaging than complicating situation – Kevliuk

The loss of Vuhledar is a tactical-scale event that is more psychologically impactful than it complicates the situation on the front, said Colonel (Ret.) Viktor Kevliuk, an expert at the Center for Defense Strategies, in an interview with LIGA.net.

Kevliuk said that Vuhledar is relatively far from neighboring strategic directions: around 20 kilometers from Kurakhove, 56 kilometers from Pokrovsk, and 30 kilometers from Velyka Novosilka.

He believes that Vuhledar's loss is primarily a tactical event, as the town wasn't a logistical hub, and its loss is more of a psychological setback than a major strategic complication.

Kevliuk noted that the Ukrainian Defense Forces still hold the Vuhledar bridgehead, marked by the Hostre - Maksymilianivka - Heorhiivka - Pobieda - Kostiantynivka - Katerynivka - Vodiane line (though this line is not exact, as positions change hands frequently, making it difficult to pinpoint).

On the southern flank, fighting continues along the Makarivka - Novodonetske - Zolota Nyva - Prechystivka - the outskirts of Vuhledar line, he said.

"The garrison in Vuhledar is withdrawing between the outermost points of these lines. Our forces will likely move to defend the Zolota Nyva – Novoukrainka – Bohoyavlenka line," Kevliuk concluded.