Ukraine deployed special forces to Pokrovsk as Russia claims encirclement, with half the city now contested in crucial eastern battle.
KYIV: Ukraine landed special forces to fight in embattled parts of the eastern city of Pokrovsk earlier this week, just as Russia said it had surrounded Kyiv’s forces in the area.
Two Ukrainian military sources confirmed the operation on Friday, showing Ukraine’s battle to stabilise the situation in the strategically important city.
Russian troops breached Pokrovsk’s perimeter this month, with at least 200 penetrating the city’s defences according to Ukrainian military statements.
Russia’s capture of Pokrovsk, an important road and rail hub, could enable further advances into the eastern Donetsk region that Moscow aims to fully occupy.
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Moscow’s military has been inching forward towards Pokrovsk for over a year in its campaign to control the Donbas area.
The Ukrainian special forces landed in a Black Hawk helicopter a few days ago in an operation complicated by Russian drone activity.
A source in the 7th Rapid Response Corps provided details of the challenging aerial insertion behind enemy lines.
Military spy chief Kyrylo Budanov oversaw the operation, with troops heading to areas claimed by Russia and seen as vital for Ukrainian supply lines.
At least 10 servicemen could be seen dismounting from a helicopter in a field in a video seen by Reuters.
The news agency could not independently confirm the location or date when the video was filmed.
Russia’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the Ukrainian special forces operation.
Kyiv’s army chief acknowledged on Thursday that the situation was difficult, saying supply lines and defences in the area needed bolstering.
DeepState, a Ukrainian open-source mapping project, estimates that at least half of the city lies in a contested area fully controlled by neither side.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy referred directly to the battle of Pokrovsk in his evening address to Ukrainians.
“We continue to destroy the occupier. The most important thing is to stop Russian attacks wherever possible,” Zelenskiy stated. – Reuters
