Russian troops continue active assault operations along the Pokrovsk axis, particularly in the area between Pokrovsk, Dobropillia, and Kostiantynivka, where they are attempting to establish a new foothold for further advances.
Viktor Trehubov, spokesperson for the Khortytsia Operational and Strategic Group of Forces said this on Ukrainian television, Ukrinform reports.
“Pokrovsk and Dobropillia essentially lie along the same axis. The entire area between Pokrovsk, Dobropillia, and Kostiantynivka — where the Russians are trying to establish a foothold — is now home to a massive Russian force,” Trehubov said.
According to him, the occupiers are attacking with everything available, but their main advantage lies in sheer manpower, as they continuously send in small infantry groups to infiltrate Ukrainian positions.
“Small infantry groups are advancing constantly. Sometimes they manage to slip through — breaking into the forward zone, past the first line of defense — and then try to dig in within urban areas and cause disruptions,” the spokesperson said.
When asked whether there is a direct threat of an assault on Pokrovsk, Trehubov noted that, as of now, such a threat does not exist.
“If they [the Russians] attempted a direct frontal assault on the city, it would certainly complicate matters for us, but it would most likely doom their campaign, because they would start losing troops at a rate they can’t sustain through the summer,” he said.
Trehubov also recalled that during the winter, Russian forces tried to flank Pokrovsk along a shorter arc from the west, but still lost over a thousand soldiers per day, along with significant amounts of equipment — ultimately leading to a failed campaign.
“Now they are maneuvering around Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad along a wider arc to avoid repeating that scenario,” he added.
He noted that the Russians are still using heavy equipment, but far less frequently than before.
“Heavy equipment is now rarely used compared to previous phases. Just like with artillery, the window of operational opportunities has narrowed — and for heavy armor, it’s narrowed even more,” he said.
Photo: Kostiantyn Liberov
