Military expert assesses Pokrovsk's defense situation amid Russian pressure
Illustrative photo: Military personnel shares updates on the situation in Pokrovsk (Getty Images)
The situation in Pokrovsk is currently quite difficult, but not critical in terms of the front's collapse. The Russian troops have not yet reached the city, but are attacking with artillery and drones, states Ivan Tymochko, head of the Council of Reservists of the Ground Forces, in a comment to the RBC-Ukraine YouTube channel.
"If we talk about Pokrovsk, besides the official statistics and reports, we know that yes, the enemy has not yet reached Pokrovsk and has not encircled it from the flanks, but enemy drones are flying over the city, unfortunately, and artillery is hitting the city," said Tymochko.
According to him, the city is already experiencing significant problems with electricity supply, sewage, water drainage, and so on. In other words, Pokrovsk is essentially in a phase of heightened tension, preparing for defense.
"Pokrovsk is also interesting because it was a fairly developed city, and, let's say, the people who lived there could be considered prosperous. There are a lot of private homes, and in the past, people drilled wells for water, had autonomous heating systems. So, it seems that even though military supplies are suspended, there is still a possibility to provide water supply as much as possible," the military officer explained.
He noted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will continue to defend the city, as the defense is already in place. The enemy will likely try to reach the flanks, but once they do, they will most likely attempt a frontal assault.
"Because there is one very characteristic moment for Russian generals, which is that they always try, since World War II, to be the first to capture, to be the first to report that they have taken a city. I think that competition will begin among the commanders and directions, as there are several groups of Russian troops concentrated there," Tymochko added.
According to him, the Russian forces will most likely attempt a frontal assault in order to quickly report "some interesting, cheerful information" to Vladimir Putin. And it doesn't even have to be true.
The military officer noted that he cannot assess the readiness of the fortifications but emphasized that work is ongoing.
"Because there are fortifications, say, of a hidden type, which no one knows about, and which will serve as command centers, trenches, or even arsenals. The other issue is that fortifications, as we understand, include trenches, earthworks, and so on. Work is constantly ongoing," he explained.
Tymochko also believes that as long as the enemy has not resolved the issue of Kurakhove, they are unlikely to be able to fully advance on Pokrovsk. This is because Kurakhove is a vulnerable flank for the Russian troops.
"Especially considering that there is a road from Zaporizhzhia to Donetsk in Kurakhove. It’s a major logistical route, where it’s convenient to deliver reinforcements and ammunition. Perhaps that’s why the Russians have not been able to achieve the full result they had planned in this direction," the military officer added.
He noted that as long as the Russian army has not aligned the front line in that area, they are unlikely to move toward Pokrovsk. The enemy cannot evenly redeploy their troops in that direction.
"That is, we see that as they attempt to align the flanks, they will be redeploying some of their forces to reinforce Pokrovsk. So, the situation here is not, let’s say, 'rosy.' On the other side, it is not a deadlock in terms of the front’s collapse. It’s not as critical for the military. Yes, it’s quite complex, but we need to understand that civilians perceive a retreat of troops differently than the military does," Tymochko concluded.
Fighting for Pokrovsk
For the past several months, the Russian troops have been attempting to break through the defenses in the Pokrovsk direction. This section of the front remains one of the most challenging.
The neighboring Kurakhove, Kramatorsk, and Vremivka directions also remain active.
As reported earlier by the Khortytsia operational and strategic group of troops, Russia has deployed 150,000 soldiers on the Pokrovsk, Kurakhove, and Vremivka fronts. Specifically, around 70,000 soldiers are concentrated near Pokrovsk.
According to a spokesperson for the Khortytsia operational and strategic group of troops, Viktor Trehubov, no urban battles are occurring in Pokrovsk at the moment. Russian troops are trying to bypass the city.
