According to Information Resistance, Russian occupiers are building a railway branch in the Donetsk region to shorten the route of freight trains from Rostov-on-Don to Mariupol/Volnovakha, bypassing the need to ascend to the Ilovaisk hub.
“Russian military logistics are undergoing systematic improvements. Systematically unchallenged from our side,” Mariupol Mayor’s advisor Petro Andriushchenko wrote.
According to Andriushchenko, the new branch will run through the settlement of Boikyivske (Telymanove) and further connect with a branch on Russian territory. Some sections of this branch were built as early as spring, as a backup option to the Granitne-Mariupol line without the construction of bridges.
He noted that the stage of approving the technical documentation is currently coming to an end, and construction is expected to start in October.
The Mariupol Mayor’s advisor suggested that the Russians might need 6 to 8 months for the construction. “The risks seem clear. Overall, this is definitely bad news. No exaggeration. Considering that almost a year ago, in September, we first warned about another line that is already fully transporting military cargo,” he wrote.
Additionally, according to Andriushchenko: “Defense structures and the expansion of the road from Mariupol to Donetsk (especially in the area near the village of Hranitne) are in active construction at key intersections. This is the only thing the occupiers are truly focusing on right now. Logistics. Strengthening the logistical direction along the front line from Vuhledar/Kurakhove.”
“Besides the Mariupol-Donetsk highway and the new railway branch, the Russians have also taken on the Novoaazovsk-Boykivske (Telymanove) route with the further prospect of Granitne/Volnovakha. This route has no civilian significance and is not even a regional road. Its sole purpose today is to accommodate columns of military equipment traveling the route Rostov-Novoaazovsk-Boykivske-Granitne-Volnovakha (Vuhledar/Kurakhove). This is where the Russians are trying to increase its capacity,” Petro Andriushchenko reported.
In summary, he emphasized: “In conclusion, we have the final plan for the development of military logistics by spring 2025: improving the railway connection between Rostov and Mariupol/Volnovakha, including the Mariupol port (orange marking); road connections from Rostov to Novoaazovsk to Mariupol/Volnovakha (via Granitne) and improved Mariupol-Volnovakha/Donetsk with appropriate truck parking and defensive structures (red marking). If all this is completed, it will undoubtedly increase the capabilities for offensive operations and pressure along the entire front from Huliaipole (Zaporizhzhia region) to Kurakhove. It will certainly enhance the support for the Russian forces in northern Donetsk region.”
