The Ukrainian monitoring project DeepState, in its latest update of the frontline map, noted the advance of Russian forces in the area of the village of Kotlino, located southwest of Pokrovsk. Russian units managed to cut the Dnieper-Pokrovsk railway line and one of the main highways to Pokrovsk, quoted by News.bg.
According to DeepState data, the Russians reached the railway line between Kotlino and the village of Udachnoye four days ago. Previously, the line of contact had been 1.5 to 2 kilometers from the road for several days.
DeepState commented that the Russian army, attacking in the direction of Kotlin, is trying to bypass Pokrovsk from the west in order to capture the city. In addition, the operations are aimed at disrupting the logistical supplies of the Ukrainian garrison in Pokrovsk.
The Russian side is using strike drones, and recently fiber-optic drones, which are particularly effective because they cannot be detected by electronic warfare systems.
The main goal of the attacks is to disrupt Ukrainian control of the Pavlograd-Pokrovsk road, DeepState notes. This highway, which runs 5-6 kilometers north of Kotlin, is one of the main roads connecting Pokrovsk with the rear of Ukrainian forces.