“The Defense Forces of Ukraine continue to control the northern part of Pokrovsk”, — write: www.radiosvoboda.org
According to reports, in Myrnograd, Ukrainian units are holding defensive lines and eliminating the enemy on the approaches to the city.
The “East” military group notes that logistics remain complicated, measures are being taken to expand logistics corridors to Mirnograd to strengthen supply opportunities.
Earlier, the General Staff of the Armed Forces reported that in order to preserve the lives of Ukrainian soldiers and the combat effectiveness of units, Ukrainian defenders withdrew from Siversk.
On December 17, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said that the enemy had increased the group to the number of about 710,000 soldiers in order to conduct a strategic offensive operation.
According to him, Russian troops have been trying to capture Pokrovsk for more than 17 months, but Ukrainian units are holding the defense and intercepting the initiative.
Pokrovsk – a city with a population of about 1,250 people (estimated by the local authorities at the end of October, before the start of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation – more than 60,000) – is an important road and railway junction and was under threat of encirclement by Russian troops for most of the year.