Russian forces are conducting active assault operations in the Pokrovsk direction, but continue to retreat from its western outskirts. Currently, the Russian army is regrouping.
This was announced during a TV broadcast by the spokesperson of the operational-strategic group Khortytsia Viktor Trehubov.
"At the moment, the situation is quite active. The enemy is conducting offensive actions primarily in the Pokrovsk direction, which remains active, as well as in the Toretsk direction. On other fronts, it's somewhat quieter compared to, for example, a week ago. But again, we are not talking about a ceasefire; we are saying that the enemy has taken a pause for regrouping. This applies to certain directions, including the northern ones. Though there have also been attacks now, they are happening in Vovchansk and the Vovchansk hamlets, though this used to be a relatively quiet Kharkiv direction," Trehubov reported.
Commenting on the retreat of the Russians from the western outskirts of Pokrovsk, the spokesperson noted that the Russian forces had failed to achieve their goal, and therefore, was forced to retreat.
"The Russians set the goal of capturing Pokrovsk back in late 2023 and put significant effort into it. From winter, from December last year to February this year, they launched a major offensive with the goal of surrounding the city from the west, cutting off the road leading to Pavlohrad, thus preventing supplies to the city, and either encircling it or forcing the Ukrainian forces to abandon it," the spokesperson explained.
At the same time, he stated that in February, the Russian forces suffered significant losses and was forced to retreat.
"Now, this retreat is effectively continuing. It is the result of one large but unsuccessful operation in which they lost many soldiers and equipment. And despite the fact that Pokrovsk was the main focus of their efforts in the last stage of the eastern campaign, their success there has been minimal," Trehubov noted.
According to him, on the eastern flank of the Pokrovsk direction, the Russians are trying to cut off the road between Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka.
"This road is not that important from a logistical perspective, but it would have opened up opportunities for them to continue advancing or to try to encircle Pokrovsk from the east. Or, which is much more likely and promising for them, to try to encircle Kostiantynivka from the west. That would be extremely unpleasant. They were trying to break through this road at a narrow section, but they were unable to cross it. However, drones are reaching this road," emphasized the spokesperson.
According to Trehubov, the Russian forces are also concentrating forces on the Novopavlivskyi direction, which borders Pokrovsk.
"Additional forces have gathered there more than anywhere else in our area of responsibility. They are trying to pressure Konstantinopol, through Batyry and so on. But they have been trying to press there for a long time and with no results," the spokesperson reported.
