Fighting for Huliaipole: DeepState analysts warn of critical factor
DeepState analysts say Huliaipole is effectively a gray zone, with both Ukrainian and Russian units present in the city at the same time. The local terrain and the enemy’s numerical advantage make further defense difficult.
Armed Forces of Ukraine / © Associated Press
Ukrainian defense forces continue to hold most of Huliaipole, but maintaining control is increasingly challenging due to the terrain and the enemy’s superior numbers.
This was reported by analysts from the DeepState project.
DeepState says Huliaipole is effectively a “gray zone,” with Ukrainian and Russian troops present across the city, sometimes in neighboring buildings or even basements.
Open operations are mainly conducted by assault groups, the analysts note. Meanwhile, Russia’s larger personnel numbers allow it to maintain a symbolic presence in the city center, including shooting propaganda footage.
The terrain poses the main difficulty for Ukrainian units. Huliaipole lies in a lowland, complicating the delivery of reinforcements. The Russian forces face similar difficulties, but due to significantly larger human resources, the Russian side is less affected by these factors.
Analysts’ caution
Huliaipole terrain.
Despite heavy fighting in and around the city, DeepState stresses the importance of establishing defensive positions beyond Huliaipole. Analysts warn against a repeat of the Avdiivka scenario, where the enemy quickly advanced after taking the city due to insufficiently prepared positions.