Russian forces are exerting pressure from all directions in the Donetsk region, with the fiercest battles taking place around Pokrovsk, where a massive concentration of Russian troops has been reported.
According to Viktor Tregubov, spokesperson for the operational-strategic group of troops Dnipro, the intensity of fighting remains extremely high.
"Before the offensive began, there were about 110,000 Russian troops operating on the Pokrovsk front — I can hardly describe the scale properly. Before the war, Pokrovsk had a population of 60,000. That means the Russian force is nearly twice as large. It feels as though they've assembled an entire horde to capture an average European country," Tregubov told Suspilne.
He also noted that Russia has intensified pressure in the Lyman direction. While there used to be around 10 clashes daily, the number has now risen to about 30.
"In the area of the Serebrianske Forestry, where infiltration is possible, Russians are exploiting every opportunity. They are trying to advance even across devastated terrain. There's been no breakthrough yet, though they’ve managed to push our forces back slightly," Tregubov explained.
At the same time, Russian forces continue attempts to enter Dnipropetrovsk region via the Novopavlivka direction. Despite certain gains on the front, Ukrainian forces are largely focused on defense rather than offense.
Tregubov added that Russian overconfidence sometimes works against them, as seen near Dobropillia.
"We are holding the defense. We’re not so much counterattacking or liberating territory as we are pushing Russians back from areas they try to infiltrate. Sometimes their arrogance backfires. For example, during their push in the Dobropillia direction, they advanced farther than they should have — and were destroyed there," he concluded.
