Russian troops have broken through Ukrainian defensive lines east of Dobropillya in the Donetsk region, advancing more than 10 kilometres in roughly two days, according to multiple Ukrainian battlefield monitors. Local reports say the units seized Kucherov Yar, Zolotoy Kolodez and pushed into Vesele, bringing them within three kilometres of the Dobropillya–Kramatorsk highway. Control of that highway is critical for supplies to Ukrainian formations defending the larger hub of Pokrovsk; several sources said the route has already been severed. Reconnaissance groups were also reported inside Dobropillya, raising the prospect of a deeper Russian thrust toward Kramatorsk, a key Ukrainian logistical centre in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian officials have offered contrasting assessments. Commander-in-Chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky described the situation as “difficult” but claimed defensive lines were holding, while Lt. Col. Bohdan Krotevych, a former Azov Brigade chief of staff now serving with the National Guard, called conditions on the Pokrovsk–Kostiantynivka axis “complete chaos” and warned that the crisis has been building for some time. The battlefield setback has prompted public calls within Ukraine’s ranks for new leadership of the front.