Three Ukrainian brigades stationed near Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad in Donetsk region may find themselves encircled due to the rapid advance of Russian forces toward Dobropillia – Rodynske.
As reported by Censor.NET, a company commander from the Pokrovsk sector told Ukrainska Pravda about the situation.
It is noted that over the past three months, the Russian salient along the Pokrovsk–Kostiantynivka highway has extended into a “pocket” more than 10 kilometers deep, now forming the eastern “claw” for the potential encirclement of two key cities — Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad.
Fighting has been ongoing for several days at the mine near Rodynske, and the first enemy group has also entered the urban area of Rodynske. Russian occupiers sometimes push into the eastern part of Chervonyi Lyman near Rodynske and attack the mine located between Novoeconomichne and Myrnohrad.
At the same time, the Russians are trying to reach Nove Shakhove, located 7 kilometers from Dobropillia.
Thus, the occupiers aim to cut the main supply route for Ukrainian forces in the Pokrovsk sector, which runs from Dobropillia through Bilytske and Rodynske to Pokrovsk, the military emphasized.
According to the analytical project DeepState, the Russians are about 7 kilometers away from Pokrovsk.
However, according to the military who spoke with Ukrainska Pravda, on July 29 they were recorded just 1.25 kilometers from the road.
The outlet noted that at least three brigades could end up in a dangerous position.
Ukrainian defenders are holding the fields and tree lines on the southern approaches to Pokrovsk, as well as the southern and eastern salients toward Myrnohrad, along with Myrnohrad itself.
“The first enemy group is already in Rodynske, and they are also operating on the approaches to Bilytske. If they capture these settlements, logistics will ‘end’ at Myrnohrad and an encirclement will form. We risk losing the people who have been holding the enemy back on this axis for almost a year. We fear it could all end like in Avdiivka and Vuhledar: when we held on to the last and, as a result, lost both the cities and our people. And that’s a bad scenario. Perhaps public attention will help at least partially. We’re not talking about pulling units out of their defensive lines. But about shortening the line along the city limits — pulling out of the tree lines to tighten up the defense and have more forces to hold the enemy. That would also mean a shorter logistics run and the ability to maneuver if the highway is cut,” the company commander said.
At the same time, in Pokrovsk — where Russian forces infiltrated about a week ago — the enemy is still being pushed out, and fighting in the city continues.
Tags: myrnograd Pokrovsk russia - ukraine war
