Ukrainian Defense Forces can be forced to leave Selydove soon — Bild

Many villages around Selydove have already been captured by Russian forces, and they continue to advance, Röpcke noted. While Ukraine's Kara-Dag 15th National Guard Brigade is effectively defending the city, it is now surrounded on three sides, Bild reported.

"Kara-Dag is doing an excellent job defending the city, but neighboring Ukrainian units are struggling," analytic acknowledged.

"So, despite the brave defenders, the city will fall. This was my impression when I visited Kara-Dag's position in the area four weeks ago."

Situation in Selydove

Since September 2024, military analysts have been warning about the threat of Ukrainian forces being encircled in Selydove, Donetsk Oblast.

On Oct. 5, a soldier from the Kara-Dag Brigade, Oleksandr Riasnyi, told Radio NV that Russian propagandists were spreading false claims about the capture of Selydove, emphasizing that the city remains under Ukrainian control.

The Institute for the Study of War's report on Oct. 11 mentioned that Russian forces had advanced to a cement plant east of Selydove and had likely cut off two of the five roads leading out of the city.

On Oct. 14, Julian Röpcke reported that Ukrainian forces halted the Russian advance around Selydove. While Russian troops have captured several settlements around the city and have reached its outskirts multiple times, their attacks have consistently been repelled.