Russians continue to seize populated areas in Donbass

According to DeepState, as of 3 November, Russian forces had occupied the settlements of Kurakhivka and Shakhterskoye in Donetsk Region, which were at a considerable distance from the front line, and also advanced in a number of other settlements.

The AFU General Staff notes that the most active battles are taking place in the Kurakhivka direction, where Ukrainian forces managed to repel 51 offensive attacks over the past 24 hours. The enemy concentrated its efforts on advancing in the area of Ilyinka, Novodmitrovka, Ostrogo and other settlements.

Active offensive actions of the enemy continue also in Kupyansk and Limansk directions, where 13 and 14 attacks were recorded during the day, respectively. Intense fighting is also taking place in the Seversk, Kramatorsk, Toretsk and Pokrovsk directions. During these attacks, the enemy is actively using aviation and artillery.

Bloomberg reports that Russian forces captured more than 200 square kilometres of territory in the last week of October, the largest advance in 2024. Since the beginning of August, the total area of territory seized has increased to 1,146 square kilometres.

These developments are increasing pressure on Ukraine's Western allies to step up military support for Kiev. However, the current political situation, including the US elections, may affect the continuation of this assistance. According to the Razumkov Centre, about 66% of Ukrainians support the idea of peace talks with Russia, up 14% from last year, probably due to conflict fatigue and the difficult situation on the front.