By Kostyantyn Mashovets. deepstate map
Russian operational-tactical strike groups continue their slow and costly advances in both the Pokrovsk and Novopavlivsk directions, attempting to execute a strategy that is becoming increasingly apparent to observers.
The plan appears to involve two key objectives:
- Encircling the city of Pokrovsk from the south and southwest.
- Forcing Ukrainian forces to withdraw from the remnants of the Kurakhove salient.
It is possible that, over time, Russian forces may achieve these objectives. However, questions remain about the timing and the potential next steps, particularly regarding an assault on Ukrainian defensive positions in Pokrovsk. This could involve coordinated attacks from the south, north, and east.
For any significant progress, the Russian command would likely need to undertake the following preparatory measures:
- Redeploy additional forces and resources to the Pokrovsk axis, potentially reallocating units from the Novopavlivsk direction.
- Reorganize the existing troop formations of the 2nd and 41st Combined Arms Armies operating within the "Center" group.
- Reinforce these units with additional personnel, weaponry, and military equipment.
Of course, all of this can theoretically be done "on the fly."
However, it is clear that the enemy will still require a certain amount of time to achieve this, during which they will inevitably have to reduce the intensity of their actions in these directions. The Russian command has not yet learned how to produce new regiments, brigades, and divisions "out of thin air" with a magic wand, allowing them to simply "add" these units to existing force groupings or indefinitely deploy new ones without addressing the core challenges of the operational troop deployment process.
