Ukraine has strengthened defense around Pokrovsk against the backdrop of an active offensive by Russian troops, deploying one of their offensive brigades, Kara-Dag, in this area.
This is written by Forbes analyst David Ax, who is cited by URA-Inform.
According to Eks, the transfer of a brigade of about 2,000 men from familiar positions in southern Ukraine to a less familiar area in the east shows how serious the situation is on the front line between Avdiivka and Pokrovsk.
Kara-Dag is an offensive brigade of the National Guard formed in 2014. It fought near Melitopol at the beginning of the full-scale invasion and remained in virtually the same positions for two years. Now, in response to the escalation of hostilities, the brigade has been transferred to the east, where intense fighting is taking place.
However, as the analyst notes, even the appearance of this brigade did not stop the Russian offensive. This raises questions about the location of other Ukrainian reserves. According to Russian propagandists, the Ukrainian Armed Forces may have about five fully staffed and well-equipped brigades in reserve.
Russian propagandist Yevgeny Norin suggests that Ukraine may be planning to use these forces in another direction to deliver a decisive blow before the front in Donbass finally “folds.”
One of the possible directions of this blow may be Kursk, where the Ukrainian operation has been going on for the fourth week. Forbes suggests that by sending forces to the Kursk region and holding them back from Pokrovsk, the Ukrainian leadership is counting on the strategic advantages of a surprise offensive in the north, which may be more important than possible losses on the eastern front.
Speaking of military actions, it is worth recalling that the West explained how the battles for Kursk region influenced the course of the war.