“Before the new offensive of the Russians: the defense in Pokrovsk is strengthened by the newest 155 brigade with Leopard tanks and Caesar howitzers — Forbes December 28, 10:26 Share: Pokrovsk will be strengthened by German tanks and French howitzers, expecting a new Russian offensive (Photo: REUTERS/Inna Varenytsia) Ukrainian defense in the Pokrovsk district of the Donetsk region will be reinforced by one of the newest units — 155 mechanized brigade, which is equipped with German Leopard 2 tanks and French Caesar howitzers”, — write on: ua.news
Pokrovsk will be reinforced with German tanks and French howitzers, expecting a new Russian offensive (Photo: REUTERS/Inna Varenytsia)
The Ukrainian defense in the Pokrovsk region of the Donetsk region will be strengthened by one of the newest units — the 155th mechanized brigade, which is equipped with German Leopard 2 tanks and French Caesar howitzers, Forbes writes on December 27.
The publication refers to analysts who reported on the Internet about the arrival of the 155th brigade in Pokrovsk before the new expected Russian offensive on the city.
The nearest Russian units are only six kilometers from Pokrovsk. Currently, there is silence in the city, which the Ukrainian military calls the calm before the storm.
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The occupiers are advancing in the south to form a defensive line and keep Ukrainian units from replenishing or lifting the probable siege of the city. At the same time, the Ukrainians can try to resist this move by withdrawing a small number of new brigades and battalions, writes Forbes.
This possible maneuver could be followed by another important phase, a short Russian offensive north of Pokrovsk, aimed at partially encircling the city, before the main battles for the transport hub begin.
By this time, the 155th Mechanized Brigade should be fully deployed at Pokrovsk, with German tanks, French howitzers and 2,000 new soldiers at its disposal. The question of whether these forces will be enough to hold the city is one of the key issues in this phase of the war, since the Ukrainians will be opposed by about 70,000 Russian invaders.
The Ukrainian garrison in and around the city is much smaller, Forbes. We are probably talking about less than a dozen brigades, each of which has no more than 2,000 servicemen.
On December 11, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said that in the Pokrovsky direction, the Russian invaders are trying to break through the Ukrainian defenses, using all available forces. There is currently fierce fighting going on there.
On December 12, Mykola Koval, the head of the press service of the 14th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, Chervona Kalina, said that fierce fighting is ongoing in the Pokrovsk district. Russian troops approached the city at a distance of 6-10 kilometers.
Analysts of the Institute for the Study of War and DeepState report on the advance of the Russians in the Pokrovsky direction.