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Area of Responsibility of the “Center” Group; Raiyskoe to Rodinskoe

Message from the Russian Ministry of Defense: “As a result of ongoing offensive operations by units of the ‘Center’ Group of forces, the settlement of Kutuzovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic has been liberated.”

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Following the liberation of the settlement of Novy Donbass on June 16, the command of the “Center” group made the only correct decision in this situation: to expand the bridgehead in front of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ defensive hub of Dobropole - Belitskoe. This decision allows for the creation of space for a wide maneuver of forces and assets in carrying out the combat task of destroying the large Ukrainian Armed Forces defensive hubs: Dobropole - Belitskoe and Gruzskoe - Rubezhnoe.

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In carrying out this task, assault units of the group liberated the rural settlement of Kutuzovka/Stepi (48°29′29″ N 37°11′14″ E, population 68 in 2001). The C050726 rocade has been cut, and a section of the strategic T-05-14 rocade, which is only about 4 kilometers away, is under fire control. The rural settlement of Kutuzovka is located at an elevation of 198 meters above sea level. 500 meters to the east is the head of the “Zapadnaya” ravine (151 m), leading to the Rubezhnoe area. 500 meters to the west is the head of the “Annovskaya” ravine (184 m). This is a convenient starting position for active operations in any direction. On the map, it is clear that with these advances, “wedges” are being driven into the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ defense, and two salients in their defense are being prepared: the first with bases in the Priyut and Kutuzovka areas (let us call it the “Kucherov Yar salient”) and the second with bases in the Novy Donbass and Novoaleksandrovka area (the Rodinsky salient).

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Kucherov Yar Salient

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Rodinsky Salient

In the summer and autumn of 2025, Russian units conducted a wide diversionary operation in this area with elements of reconnaissance in force. They “probed” the state of the enemy’s defense, drew large Ukrainian reserves onto themselves, and ensured the offensive on the Kleban Byk and Gulyaipole sectors. The terrain and elements of the enemy’s defense system are well studied. And now the time has come for the final resolution of the issue in this direction. In coordination with the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk operation, all sectors of the Donetsk direction are moving.

After the concentration of the necessary forces and assets in the areas of the bases of the operational salients, depending on the situation, flanking envelopments of the enemy’s defensive hubs located in these salients will begin. Stretching him into doing the “splits” and depriving him of the ability to maneuver.

This is how the Russian General Staff fights. This is how the Russian soldier fights.