Ukrainian Forces may soon withdraw from Selydove as Russian advances continue — ISW
Russian forces have made significant tactical gains in Selydove, Donetsk Oblast (Pokrovsk direction), which may soon force Ukrainian troops to withdraw from the city, Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on Oct. 23.
ISW analysts note that Russian forces have recently achieved notable tactical success in and around Selydove.
However, they also point out that the Russian military command’s clear focus on capturing Selydove has undermined its ability to maintain a significant offensive toward Pokrovsk, which Russia previously identified as a key operational objective in this sector.
Geolocated footage from Oct. 22 and 23 shows Russian forces advancing along Skhidna Street in the northeastern part of Selydove and further north along Berehova and Zakhysnykiv Streets toward the city center.
The footage also confirmed that the Russian forces captured Izmailivka, a village southeast of Selydove in the Pokrovsk district, and advanced toward the northeastern outskirts of Novoselydivka, located to the west of Izmailivka and south of Selydove, as well as into the fields northwest of Tsukuryne, also south of Selidove but north of the Izmailivka-Novoselidivka area.
Russian sources have also widely claimed that their forces advanced into northern Selydove, reached the outskirts of Vyshneve (west of Selidove) via the C05091 highway, and captured additional territory in the town of Hirnyk (southeast of Selydove), though ISW has not yet confirmed these claims.
The Russian advance in Selydove, along with new territorial gains to the south and north of the city, may soon force the Ukrainian Armed Forces to retreat from the area to avoid being encircled. Nevertheless, ISW believes Ukrainian forces have thus far maintained a robust defense of Selydove, significantly delaying Russian advances since the offensive on the city began around August 2024.
Selydove is not Russia’s primary operational objective in this area, making Ukraine’s defense of the city a strategic move that likely forced Russia to deploy a sizable contingent of forces to the southern flank of Pokrovsk — the true and operationally significant target for Russian forces in this part of the front.
Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets highlighted this dynamic on Oct. 21, adding that Russian command is now facing several local "issues" in the Pokrovsk direction. Specifically, he noted that while Russia has pulled significant operational reserves to advance on Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, these forces have become bogged down in the attacks on Selydove and the southern flank of Pokrovsk, which they had hoped to capture quickly.
A Russian military correspondent and former instructor of the Storm-Z units largely agreed with Mashovets' analysis, noting that Russia's offensive toward Pokrovsk has "slowed." This correspondent also acknowledged that Russian attempts to break through Pokrovsk’s southern defensive flank have led to "forces and resources fragmentation," resulting in "excessive" losses among Russian infantry and giving Ukrainian troops more time to fortify Pokrovsk.
While Russia may capture Selydove in the coming days, ISW reminded that this does not equate to the capture of Pokrovsk. The analysts suggested that Selydove seizure has likely exhausted and worn down Russian forces to the point of impairing their combat effectiveness, particularly if they are ordered to turn their attention back to Pokrovsk.
Ukrainian defenses in and around Pokrovsk, including the railway and M-30 highway, have already slowed Russian progress toward the city, and the depletion of Russian forces in the area will likely further hinder their advance, hurting Russia’s offensive prospects in the coming weeks, ISW concluded.
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