>>512793828
Indeed.
There were reports back in early June that Kiev is seriously considering a "doomsday scenario", that is a full scale retreat to the river cities and a 50km defensive perimeter around their eastern halves should the Russians do a full scale breakout into Dnipropetrovsk oblast as the terrain of Ukraine beyond Donbass heavily favours the attacker not the defender, this perimeter around the river cities would gradually withdraw to the west bank of the Dnieper essentially handing over the vast majority of east Ukraine to Russia without a fight while massively increasing their own troop and equipment density in each location, reducing supply line strain and keeping the frontline shorter while retaining full defensive positions inside major cities and the entrenchments that have been built around them since 2022.
The intent would be to do the opposite to the Russians, stretching them much further at a rapid pace, reducing troop density and stretching the Russian lines while rear guard teams do hit and runs on convoys,trains and logistics.
To me that sounds like the smartest thing they could do at this point.
I think the loss of Pokrovsk will be the trigger for this.
