Civilians Pulled Out of Sviatohirsk Amid Russian Advance in Northern Donetsk

Ukrainian authorities have announced a mandatory evacuation in the city of Sviatohirsk (spelled the Russian way as Svyatogorsk) located in the Donetsk People's Republic, as well as in eight surrounding villages that remain under Kyiv's control. The decision was confirmed by the Sviatohirsk City Military Administration, which operates under Ukrainian jurisdiction.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by Mirek Pruchnicki, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

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In addition to Sviatohirsk, the forced evacuation applies to the villages of Bohorodychne, Tatianivka, Dolina, Krasnopillia, Mazanivka, Maiaky, Sydorove, and Pryshyb. All of these localities are part of the Sviatohirsk territorial community.

Local authorities reported that the city's last remaining branch of Nova Poshta has ceased operations. As of early 2022, Sviatohirsk had a population of approximately 4,200 residents, though the current number of civilians subject to evacuation remains unclear.

City Lies Just Ten Kilometers from the Front

According to Ukrainian analytical resource Deep State, the distance between Sviatohirsk and the active front line is now roughly ten kilometers.

Military analysts from the channel Military Chronicle report that Russian forces are forming what they describe as a "fire balcony” aimed at Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. Pressure is reportedly being applied from two directions: from the north near Yarova and Sviatohirsk, with movement toward Lyman, and from the south near Fedorivka close to Artemovsk (known in Ukraine as Bakhmut).

"Advancing from the south is more difficult because the front has been stable there for a long time, but the range of rocket artillery, tube artillery, and drones is sufficient to actively suppress and strike targets in Sloviansk,” the analysts noted.

Russian Advances and Reported Disorder in Ukrainian Ranks

Russian forces continue to report progress across other areas of the Donetsk region. Units are expanding their zone of control and tightening their encirclement of Kostiantynivka, a key logistical hub for Ukrainian forces supplying the Kramatorsk-Sloviansk grouping.

Military expert Aleksey Zhivov has projected that full Russian control over the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic could be achieved within six months to one year.

Meanwhile, signs of disorder have been acknowledged by Ukrainian personnel. In Dymytrov (known in Ukraine as Myrnohrad), located near Krasnoarmiisk (Pokrovsk), a Ukrainian officer identified by the call sign Alex described the situation as chaotic.

"Our positions and the enemy's positions are mixed. The front line and the gray zone have no clearly defined boundaries. It feels as though the entire city has become one continuous gray zone,” he said.

The officer also acknowledged Russian advances near Krasnoarmiisk and stated that assault operations are continuing in the area of Serhiivka to consolidate gains.