Ukraine's top military commander has admitted his soldiers are facing 'difficult conditions' defending Pokrovsk - a key eastern front-line town - against massed Russian forces. Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukrainian troops were fending off a 'multi-thousand enemy' force - but denied Russian claims that they were surrounded or blocked. He confirmed that elite special forces had been deployed to protect key supply lines which, army sources said, were all under Russian fire. The defence ministry in Moscow reported that Ukrainian troops were surrendering and that 11 of their special forces had been killed after landing by helicopter - something denied by Kyiv.
Gen Syrskyi said in a social media post on Saturday that he was 'back on the front' to personally hear the latest reports from military commanders on the ground in the eastern Donetsk region. In a short video, Syrskyi is seen studying battlefield maps with other commanders, including the head of Ukraine's military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov. It is unclear when or where the footage was recorded. Ukrainian media earlier reported that Budanov was in the region to personally oversee the operation by the special forces.
The deployment of special forces suggests officials in Kyiv are determined to try to hold on to the town, which Russia has been trying to seize for more than a year. Ukraine's 7th Rapid Response Corps said on Saturday that Ukrainian troops 'have improved [their] tactical position' in Pokrovsk - but the situation remained 'difficult and dynamic'.
Late on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that the defence of Pokrovsk was a 'priority'. Reports indicate that Russian advances are increasing around the strategic town located to the west of the Russian-held regional capital of Donetsk.
Images shared with news agencies late on Friday appear to show a Ukrainian Black Hawk helicopter deploying about 10 troops near Pokrovsk, although the location and date of the footage could not be verified. Russia's defence ministry said it had thwarted the deployment of Ukrainian military intelligence special forces north-west of the town, claiming to have killed all 11 troops who had landed by helicopter.
DeepState, a Ukrainian open-source monitoring group, estimates that about half of Pokrovsk is in a 'grey zone' with neither side maintaining full control. A military source in Donetsk told the BBC that Ukrainian forces were not surrounded but their supply lines were under fire from Russian troops.
The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War noted that Ukrainian forces had 'marginally advanced' during recent counter-attacks north of Pokrovsk, but described the town as mainly a contested 'grey zone'.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Moscow has gained control of about 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, annexed in 2014. Russia's ongoing aspirations include securing the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, collectively referred to as the Donbas, as part of any potential peace negotiations.
The capture of Pokrovsk is seen as pivotal for Russia, potentially enabling further advances into the region, while Ukraine believes it would be a strategic setback that might affect Western perceptions of the conflict's dynamics.
Gen Syrskyi said in a social media post on Saturday that he was 'back on the front' to personally hear the latest reports from military commanders on the ground in the eastern Donetsk region. In a short video, Syrskyi is seen studying battlefield maps with other commanders, including the head of Ukraine's military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov. It is unclear when or where the footage was recorded. Ukrainian media earlier reported that Budanov was in the region to personally oversee the operation by the special forces.
The deployment of special forces suggests officials in Kyiv are determined to try to hold on to the town, which Russia has been trying to seize for more than a year. Ukraine's 7th Rapid Response Corps said on Saturday that Ukrainian troops 'have improved [their] tactical position' in Pokrovsk - but the situation remained 'difficult and dynamic'.
Late on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that the defence of Pokrovsk was a 'priority'. Reports indicate that Russian advances are increasing around the strategic town located to the west of the Russian-held regional capital of Donetsk.
Images shared with news agencies late on Friday appear to show a Ukrainian Black Hawk helicopter deploying about 10 troops near Pokrovsk, although the location and date of the footage could not be verified. Russia's defence ministry said it had thwarted the deployment of Ukrainian military intelligence special forces north-west of the town, claiming to have killed all 11 troops who had landed by helicopter.
DeepState, a Ukrainian open-source monitoring group, estimates that about half of Pokrovsk is in a 'grey zone' with neither side maintaining full control. A military source in Donetsk told the BBC that Ukrainian forces were not surrounded but their supply lines were under fire from Russian troops.
The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War noted that Ukrainian forces had 'marginally advanced' during recent counter-attacks north of Pokrovsk, but described the town as mainly a contested 'grey zone'.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Moscow has gained control of about 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, annexed in 2014. Russia's ongoing aspirations include securing the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, collectively referred to as the Donbas, as part of any potential peace negotiations.
The capture of Pokrovsk is seen as pivotal for Russia, potentially enabling further advances into the region, while Ukraine believes it would be a strategic setback that might affect Western perceptions of the conflict's dynamics.
