There is only one line of defense left between the advancing Russian troops and the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. The situation around Pokrovsk, which had a population of 60,000 before the war, is becoming increasingly threatening. Ukrainian troops in this sector suffer from a shortage of manpower and experienced units, which makes their defense vulnerable.
This was reported by URA-Inform, citing Forbes.
The small reinforcements that the Ukrainian Armed Forces sent to the Pokrovsk area may not be enough to protect the city. Ukrainian troops have been forced to retreat repeatedly under pressure from Russian forces, which is due to a lack of resources for an organized defense.
As the Frontelligence Insight analytical group notes, while the Ukrainians did not lose every battle, the loss of one area often forced them to retreat to avoid encirclement.
The situation is complicated by the fact that Ukrainian forces were sent in August to launch a surprise counteroffensive in Russia's Kursk region, rather than to reinforce Pokrovsk. Thus, the main role in the defense between Avdiivka and Pokrovsk is still played by the exhausted 47th Mechanized Brigade, which has lost a significant part of its resources, including M-1 Abrams tanks, in six months of fighting.
Nevertheless, Ukrainian experts from the Center for Defense Strategies believe that it will be difficult for the enemy to capture Pokrovsk quickly due to the open terrain, unfavorable for an offensive, and possible counterattacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces from nearby areas.
As a result, Ukraine seriously risks losing Pokrovsk, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces are preparing plans to change the course of the war for the better.
It is worth recalling that the Russian Federation is also experiencing problems, as its oil refineries have come under new large-scale attack.