Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region has been the subject of fierce fighting for more than a year, and in recent months the fighting has spread to the streets of the city. The Russians are advancing more and more, as a drone pilot tells DW. The attackers use every gap in the defense to penetrate Pokrovsk, wait for favorable weather conditions and invade one by one or two. There they pose as civilians and can remain undetected for months.
“According to my observations, infiltration is a major problem. It is very difficult to establish who is the enemy and who is a civilian“, says the intelligence officer, who operates in the region with his Ukrainian unit. According to him, Russian troops are advancing towards Pokrovsk with a large number of drones and guided bombs.
Superiority of the Russians on the ground and in the air
Currently, the Ukrainian military notes a double superiority of the Russian army in Pokrovsk: both in numbers and in the air, since Ukraine is currently unable to respond to the numerous Russian drones. “Because of the drones, we cannot move our air defense to the front - this would mean destroying expensive facilities. And we do not have enough of our own aircraft with which to shoot down the Russian “Sukhoi“ bombers, says one of the interlocutors of DV.
Because of this, the front line at Pokrovsk is very long. The so-called “death zone“ extends for more than 20 km. The biggest problem for the Ukrainian units is that the Russians are deliberately destroying Ukrainian logistics. This makes it difficult to deliver ammunition and equipment, rotate soldiers, and evacuate the wounded.
Walking kilometers to positions
“Logistics is still functioning, but it is very risky. Most units are advancing on foot. Some have to walk dozens of kilometers to reach their positions. Humanitarian aid is being delivered by drones,“ eyewitnesses told DW.
Meanwhile, the Russians are approaching Dobropilya, Rodynske, and Bylyzke, which Ukrainian soldiers had held until recently. Important logistics centers were located there. The distances that the Ukrainian military must overcome are increasing, says a drone pilot. “When the Russians began to destroy Ukrainian logistics routes, we felt that they were taking over all the airspace.“ Now the heavily armed Ukrainian soldiers are forced to reach their positions on foot. Ground-moving robots can facilitate the delivery of essential supplies, but they are also becoming targets for Russian drones.
A drone pilot from the Ukrainian National Guard, who worked in the vicinity of Mirnohrad, tells about the Russian tactic there - which is to advance in small infantry groups. In July, logistics were still functioning, and everything needed was delivered daily. But in mid-August, the drone pilots had to leave their positions on foot and walk 12 km to Rodynske. In September, the kilometers were already 30. "Access to the positions is very difficult, there are only one or two rural roads, one of which is under constant fire," the man told DW. In addition, Ukrainian drone pilots had to stay in their positions for 30-40 days. Many refused to take up positions around Mirnohrad, as they could be besieged by the Russians there.
How is the situation around Pokrovsk developing?
Ruslan Mikula, co-founder of the analytical project “DeepState“, says that the Russians have tried to establish themselves in Mirnohrad in order to build their logistics there. And this could be extremely unfavorable for Ukraine. Without Pokrovsk, Ukrainian units would not be able to hold Mirnohrad, Mikula points out. And Pokrovsk would become a major military base for the Russians. This would bring them to a densely built-up area with high-rise buildings, where thousands of soldiers could be stationed. At the same time, the positions of Ukrainian drone pilots and Ukrainian electronic warfare and reconnaissance units would have to be shifted to forested areas.
“The loss of Pokrovsk would be very painful, so I hope it doesn't come to that“, says a Ukrainian officer currently in positions near Pokrovsk. “The fortifications are ready. There is no other fortress like Pokrovsk - with high-rise buildings, hills and a lot of concrete - there is. This is a city that can actually be defended well. There is no other like it in the region”. If Ukrainian units lose Pokrovsk, Russian troops could advance in the direction of Kramatorsk, Sloviansk and Druzhkivka. Defending these cities would be much more difficult, the officer points out.
Kremlin wants to capture Donetsk region
A Ukrainian military expert, who requested anonymity, is convinced that the Russian army leadership has ordered the capture of the Donetsk region. This will allow the Kremlin to negotiate with Ukraine and its Western allies from a position of strength. "Pokrovsk is considered part of this operation, in order to bring the highway between Bakhmut, Chasiv Yar, Kostantynivka and Pokrovsk completely under Russian control. From there, it could continue to Pavlohrad in the Dnepropetrovsk region," the expert told DW. The capture of the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad agglomeration would be an important starting point for the Russians to further advance towards Pavlohrad, but also northwards towards Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. “That's why the fighting for Pokrovsk is so fierce.“
Military expert Col. Markus Reisner told DW that the situation around Pokrovsk has been deteriorating for weeks. “Despite Ukraine's successes in preventing a breakthrough north of Pokrovsk, Russia's pressure has become so great that they are mainly entering the southern areas of the city“, he said, adding: “We are seeing basically the same development as we have seen in recent months and years in the battles for other important cities that we have already forgotten. However, the Russians have never managed to achieve the operational breakthrough that was the goal of their summer offensive“.
Authors: Darya Ninko, Hana Sokolova