The entrance sign to Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast. Photo: Suspilne
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Russian troops have not been able to entrench themselves in Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast and Moscow’s claims that the city is encircled are false, according to the 7th Rapid Response Corps of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces and Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Source: 7th Rapid Response Corps of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces; Syrskyi on social media
Quote from the Air Assault Forces: “The occupiers are not consolidating within the districts of the city of Pokrovsk, they are moving around periodically, sometimes wearing civilian clothes.”
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Details: The Air Assault Forces said Ukraine’s defence forces are continuing the operation to counter the Russian troops who have managed to infiltrate and build up in Pokrovsk.
On 29 October, Ukrainian forces killed 13 Russian troops in Pokrovsk, four of them at the sign that marks the north-western entrance to the city.
Quote from the Air Assault Forces: “After a long silence, the Russians have resumed their ‘flag-mast tactic’ on our front – putting up their rag of a flag and posting videos of it on social media. The use of this primitive psyop, along with false claims by the enemy’s political figures that the city has been ‘encircled’, only serves to show that they want to pass off wishful thinking as reality.”
More details: The Air Assault Forces said that logistics in Pokrovsk are still possible, although they are hampered by the large number of Russian FPV drones in the skies.
Russian forces are also active around the city of Myrnohrad. In Pokrovsk the Russians are mainly attacking with infantry, while near Myrnohrad they are both using infiltration routes on several defensive lines and openly deploying armoured vehicles.
Quote from the Air Assault Forces: “Recently the Russians carried out another mechanised assault. During the enemy attack, our troops destroyed five armoured vehicles and two other vehicles and killed at least 14 occupiers, including eight on the outskirts of Myrnohrad.”
More details: Syrskyi said that Russian forces “are stepping up their activity” in the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad agglomeration.
Quote from Syrskyi: “The situation is difficult, but Russian propaganda claims that Ukraine’s defence forces in Pokrovsk and Kupiansk have been ‘blocked’ are untrue.”
More details: Syrskyi said the Russian infantry in Pokrovsk are avoiding direct engagements, building up inside the urban area and shifting positions, which makes detecting and destroying them the priority task.
He said he has “issued the necessary orders” and, with regard to improving logistics, has separately tasked commanders with strengthening protection for supply and evacuation routes.
Read more: How Pokrovsk is imperceptibly falling: five observations by Ukrainska Pravda
Background:
On 26 October, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Russians had concentrated their main assault group against Pokrovsk.
Ukrainska Pravda reported on 24 October that there were at least 250 Russian troops in Pokrovsk, engaging in firefights and killing Ukrainian soldiers, particularly drone operators, at their positions; that logistics into the city were fully controlled by Russian drones, forcing Ukrainian soldiers to walk 10-15 km to reach their positions; and that Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad were at risk of encirclement.
DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts, reported yesterday that Russian troops had made gains in Pokrovsk and that 45 combat clashes had taken place there in one day.
The 7th Rapid Response Corps of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces reported yesterday that Russia has deployed about 11,000 troops in an effort to encircle Pokrovsk.
There are still 1,256 civilians in Pokrovsk, and evacuation from the hromada is practically impossible. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories – ed.]
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