Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Ukrainian military has firmly dismissed reports suggesting Russian forces achieved a significant breakthrough near the eastern cities of Pokrovsk and Dobropillia, where Ukrainian troops are engaged in intense efforts to thwart encirclement.
On Telegram late Monday, the Dnipro ground forces group, overseeing the sector, stated, “Small-scale infiltrations by Russian units do not equate to territorial control.” They acknowledged the challenging situation, noting, “The fighting in this area remains the most intense across the entire front line.”
Earlier reports from Ukrainian military observers claimed Russian forces had advanced over 10 kilometers northeast of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. Some official updates also mentioned isolated groups of Russian soldiers penetrating parts of Pokrovsk itself.
The Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad urban area is nearly surrounded, with Russian troops positioned on three sides, leaving only a narrow 15-kilometer corridor for Ukrainian supply lines.
Amid ongoing recruitment challenges and rising desertion rates, some Ukrainian analysts have raised concerns about the potential collapse of the eastern front. Ukraine has been resisting Russia’s invasion for over three years.
