Defense of Pokrovsk continues to draw in Russia forces
Ukrainian military personnel maintain control over individual positions in the north of Pokrovsk, performing important tasks and preventing the enemy from advancing further into the depths of the Ukrainian defense, a source in the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) has told the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
"There is no task to leave Pokrovsk. There is a task to hold it, and if possible, to reinforce it," the agency’s interlocutor said.
According to him, the situation regarding the presence of Ukrainian defenders in Myrnohrad is more complicated, so the question of the expediency of further presence there is relevant.
The agency’s interlocutor emphasized that the defense of Pokrovsk remains significant for distracting enemy forces from other important sectors of the front and wearing them down in and around the city. For instance, the Russia 76th Division was previously moved from the Zaporizhia direction, and after it was bled white by Ukrainian strikes, the enemy was forced to send the 90th Tank Division to the city.
The AFU representative noted that during the days of the truce declared for May 9-11, Russia troops continued active combat operations just as before, only slightly reducing KAB and artillery strikes. They are attacking more actively in the direction of Hryshyne, Vasylivka, and Myrne, while the pressure on Dobropillia has slightly eased. There are no enemy forces in Vasylivka today, while stabilization measures are being carried out in the western part of Hryshyne.
In the opinion of the agency’s interlocutor, there are about 1,500 enemy soldiers and officers in Pokrovsk itself. The main problem and task remains ensuring logistics for Ukrainian defenders in Pokrovsk and strengthening means to strike the enemy, who hides in high-rise buildings and uses them to operate drones and communications.