Ukraine commander says troops face tough conditions in Pokrovsk
(MENAFN) Ukraine’s top military official has acknowledged that troops defending the eastern front-line town of Pokrovsk are operating under "difficult conditions" as they face a significant Russian force.
Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that Ukrainian soldiers are contending with a "multi-thousand enemy" contingent, while rejecting claims that their forces are surrounded or cut off. He confirmed that elite special forces were deployed to secure vital supply routes, which sources indicate remain under Russian fire.
Moscow’s defence ministry claimed that Ukrainian troops were surrendering and reported that 11 special forces personnel were killed after a helicopter landing—allegations denied by Kyiv.
In posts on social media, Gen Syrskyi said he was "back on the front" to personally review updates from commanders in the eastern Donetsk region. A video shows him examining battlefield maps alongside other leaders, including the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, though the recording’s time and location are unclear. Reports suggest Budanov was present to oversee the special forces operation.
The deployment underscores Kyiv’s determination to retain control of Pokrovsk, which Russia has been attempting to capture for over a year. Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Response Corps stated that its troops "have improved [their] tactical position" in the town, though the overall situation remains "difficult and dynamic." President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized late Friday that holding Pokrovsk is a "priority."
Recent images shared with media appear to show a Ukrainian Black Hawk helicopter deploying approximately 10 troops near the town, though these could not be independently verified. Moscow claimed to have foiled this operation northwest of Pokrovsk, reportedly killing all 11 landing troops.
Monitoring groups describe roughly half of Pokrovsk as a contested "grey zone," with neither side in full control. A military source in Donetsk confirmed that Ukrainian forces are not encircled but are under fire along supply lines. Analysts in the US suggest Ukrainian counterattacks have produced "marginal" gains north of the town, though it remains largely a contested area.
Pokrovsk is a strategic transport and supply hub. Its capture would advance Russian ambitions in the wider Donbas region, while also bolstering Moscow’s argument that its military campaign is succeeding—a point aimed at persuading Western powers to ease pressure.
Russia continues to demand Kyiv cede Donetsk and Luhansk regions as part of a peace deal, including territories it does not yet control. Since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Moscow has seized around 20% of Ukraine, including Crimea.
Efforts to advance peace talks have frustrated Washington, leading US leadership to sanction Russia’s two largest oil producers and cancel a planned summit with President Vladimir Putin.
Zelensky has indicated support for a ceasefire proposal freezing the conflict along current front lines, but Putin remains committed to pre-invasion objectives, which Ukraine and its allies view as an attempt to force Ukrainian capitulation.
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