Ukraine’s top military leader, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, has acknowledged that troops are enduring extremely challenging conditions while defending Pokrovsk, a crucial eastern front-line town currently under heavy attack from Russian forces. Despite the intensity of the fighting, Syrskyi denied Moscow’s claims that Ukrainian units were encircled or trapped, emphasizing that the defenders continue to resist effectively. According to the commander, Ukraine is facing a multi-thousand enemy assault as Russian forces intensify their push to seize control of the Donetsk region. In response, Ukraine has deployed elite special forces to safeguard vital supply routes that remain under constant Russian fire. Army sources have confirmed that these routes are still operational, though increasingly vulnerable. Russia’s defence ministry asserted that Ukrainian troops were surrendering and that 11 members of Kyiv’s special forces had been killed during a helicopter landing operation near Pokrovsk. Ukrainian officials, however, dismissed these claims as false, insisting that their units remain active and are carrying out defensive and counter-offensive missions in the area.
Ukrainian Commander Admits Fierce Battle as Russian Forces Press Toward Pokrovsk
Syrskyi posted updates on Telegram on Saturday, noting that he had returned to the front lines to personally assess the situation in the eastern Donetsk region. In a brief video shared online, the general appeared alongside top commanders, including Ukraine’s military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, studying battlefield maps and operational plans. Though the exact timing of the footage remains uncertain, reports suggest that Budanov was in the region to oversee the deployment of special forces. The involvement of Ukraine’s elite units signals Kyiv’s determination to hold Pokrovsk, a strategically important town that Russian forces have been attempting to capture for more than a year. The 7th Rapid Response Corps reported that Ukrainian troops had slightly improved their tactical position in Pokrovsk but described the situation as difficult and dynamic.
President Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed that defending Pokrovsk remains a top national priority, citing the town’s strategic value as both a transportation hub and a symbolic stronghold. Recent intelligence assessments indicate that Russian forces have made marginal gains around the town, with parts of it classified as a grey zone where neither side maintains full control. A source in Donetsk told the BBC that Ukrainian troops are not surrounded but face heavy Russian fire along their supply corridors. Meanwhile, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported limited Ukrainian advances north of Pokrovsk, confirming that most of the town remains fiercely contested. Pokrovsk’s fate carries broader implications. Its capture could allow Russia to consolidate control over Donetsk and advance its campaign to dominate the wider Donbas region. For Ukraine, holding the town is not only a tactical necessity but also a message of resilience to Western allies watching for signs of progress or collapse.
As the conflict grinds on, Russian forces continue to intensify operations across eastern Ukraine, underscoring the deepening struggle for control of one of the war’s most critical battlegrounds.
source:BBC
