War in Ukraine: Kiev: Area in the east remains hotly contested front

According to the military leadership in Kiev, the heavy fighting in eastern Ukraine is continuing. “The situation was hottest today in the Pokrovsk area, but the enemy was also active in the direction of Lyman and Kurakhove,” the Ukrainian General Staff said in its evening situation report. All three cities mentioned are in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. There were 123 battles during the day.

41 of these attacks were reported from the Pokrovsk area alone. At Lyman and Kurachowe, there were 19 and 17 attacks respectively. While, according to the General Staff, 29 attacks at Pokrovsk have now been repelled, 12 battles are still ongoing. The defenders are doing everything they can to stabilize the situation and prevent the enemy from advancing deep into Ukrainian territory, it was said.

The Russian Defense Ministry had reported the capture of the village of Sokil in this area earlier that day. Sokil no longer appears in the General Staff’s situation report, but the village of Prohres to the west does. According to the Ukrainian military, more than 180 Russian soldiers were killed in the Pokrovsk area. In addition, several Russian military vehicles were destroyed. The information cannot be independently verified.

The front section near Pokrovsk is considered to be relatively vulnerable. After Russian troops were able to capture the fortress of Avdiivka at the beginning of the year, they have been slowly advancing for months. Ukraine has not yet managed to finally stop the advance and stabilize the defense lines.

Situation report of the General Staff (Ukr)