Kyiv: Ukraine’s top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, reported on Thursday that he had spent several days on the eastern Pokrovsk front, where he observed that the fighting has been “exceptionally tough”.
In recent months, Russian forces have been relentlessly advancing toward the strategic hub of Pokrovsk, making incremental progress despite fierce Ukrainian resistance. The intensity of these assaults did not diminish even after Ukraine conducted a surprise incursion into Russia’s western Kursk region on August 6. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy acknowledged the challenging situation near Pokrovsk, describing it as “extremely difficult” and emphasizing that Kyiv would continue to bolster its defensive positions.
“Fights are exceptionally tough. The enemy throws into battle everything that can move and advance, trying to break through our defenses,” Syrskyi stated in a Facebook post.
According to Syrskyi, the most intense clashes are occurring in the area of Krasnyi Yar, approximately 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the city of Pokrovsk. He also noted that the eastern outskirts of Hrodivka village, located less than 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) from the strategic route connecting Pokrovsk to Kostiantynivka, have witnessed a surge in assaults.
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The Ukrainian General Staff reported that 23 clashes had occurred on the Pokrovsk front since the start of the day.
In a Telegram post on Thursday, President Zelenskiy shared that he had been briefed by his top military officials on the situation and that they had discussed “concrete defensive actions” during a meeting. He also mentioned that Ukrainian-produced long-range weapons were a topic of discussion in a separate meeting, alongside the Kursk incursion.
“Operation tasks are being implemented,” Zelenskiy added.
