The General Staff announced the “special activity” of Russian troops in the Pokrovsky and Kurakhiv directions

Since the beginning of the day, 111 combat clashes have taken place at the front, the situation is characterized by “special activity” of Russian troops in the Pokrovsky and Kurakhiv directions, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported in a summary as of 4:00 p.m.

“In the Pokrovsky direction, since the beginning of the day, the occupiers have already made 26 attempts to dislodge our defenders from their occupied positions in the areas of Myrolyubivka, Baranivka, Elizavetivka, Lysivka, Zelene, Zvirove, Novy Trud, Kotlyna and Nadiivka settlements. The defense forces are restraining the onslaught, at this time they have repelled 21 enemy attacks, five clashes are still ongoing. Fighting continues near Dachny, Kurakhovo, Shevchenko, Petropavlivka, Slovianka, and Yasenovo in the Kurakhiv direction. According to updated information, 18 out of 25 attacks of the occupying army have already been repelled today. Fierce battles are taking place,” the message reads.

In addition, the General Staff reported on combat operations in the Kharkiv, Kupyan, Lyman, Siver, Toretsk, and Vremiv directions.

On January 8, the Ukrainian military repulsed 16 Russian attacks in Kurshchyna, six skirmishes continue, the command added.

The DeepState project and the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that the Russian army in the first days of 2025 is actively capturing new territories to the south, southeast and east of Pokrovsk.

According to DeepState data, the aggressor is not going to storm the city head-on – but will focus on the roads leading to Pokrovsk.

ISW put forward the same hypothesis. According to the Institute’s analysts, the Russian Federation has concentrated its efforts on attempts to surround Pokrovsk – and this is why it is advancing in the Vozdvizhenka area 20 kilometers east of the city.