Russian forces say they have surrounded Ukrainian positions around Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, while Ukrainian troops confirm relentless, tense battles and counter‑infiltration tactics in eastern Ukraine.
Russian Claims of Encirclement
Russian leadership asserts that they have looped Ukrainian forces around Pokrovsk and the nearby city of Myrnohrad. General Valery Gerasimov announced this during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, also noting a supposed “encirclement” of Kupiansk.
Ukrainian analytical groups (DeepState, US Institute for the Study of War) find no evidence of such a ring. No battlefield maps indicate a closed perimeter. Instead, Ukrainian units are reported to be pushing forward in the region.
Ukrainian Reports of Intense Fighting
Ukrainian sources describe the front line as highly unstable, with guards reporting continuous, gunfire‑filled clashes. The holding forces have had to adapt to the new Russian tactics involving small, torch‑light groups.
The Ukrainian Rapid Reaction Command notes that Russian emphasis has shifted north of the city, changing priorities from the Donbas industrial zone to Pokrovsk itself.
Infiltration by Small Russian Groups
Ukrainian soldiers claim Russian units are infiltrating the city with two‑to‑three‑man squads that move through basements and occasionally exchange fire. They do not consolidate positions but rather probe the terrain, waiting for reinforcements.
Estimated numbers in Pokrovsk range from 200 to 400; they conduct drone combat and counter‑disinformation actions. The Russians aim to penetrate deeper by cutting supply lines, but Ukrainian counter‑disinformation vanquishes many attempts.
Reports of Data Manipulation by Ukrainian Officers
Ukrainian media reported that some brigade commanders are providing false or incomplete information about frontline posture. Positions marked as held may in fact contain few or no soldiers, claimed to avoid audit or legal consequences.
Army General Oleksandr Syrskyi responded, condemning the practice as unacceptable and underscoring that truth is paramount, “the price of dishonesty is the lives of our soldiers.”
President Zelensky on Pokrovsk
Zelensky told reporters that retaining Pokrovsk demonstrates Ukraine’s resolve, counters Russian claims of an eastern collapse, and is necessary to maintain Western support.
He described the Russian forces’ attempts to dominate the area as “lies” and said the U.S. must continue backing them because Russian propaganda misleads.
Putin’s Command to Capture Pokrovsk
Ukrainian officer Stanislav Bunatov said that President Vladimir Putin had ordered the capture of Pokrovsk within weeks. He claimed opposing armored units had been destroyed upon entering the city’s vicinity.
Another Russian soldier, now a prisoner, asserted that Putin had directed the operation to finish by mid‑November, and that Russian equipment would be sent to the front, indicating increasing intensity in the coming days.
