Russians shift to flanking attacks on Pokrovsk after frontal assaults fail – Ukraine's National Guard

Fierce fighting is ongoing near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, with Russian forces attempting to enter the city by any means. Source: Mykola Koval, head of the press service for the 14th Chervona Kalyna Brigade of the National Guard, during the national joint 24/7 newscast, as cited by Army Inform Quote: "For two months, they attacked head-on and suffered heavy losses.

Now they've realised it's not working and are trying to break through our defence from either the left or right flank. As you can see, we are holding the enemy back as much as possible because Pokrovsk is a strategically important city."

Details: Koval highlighted that the Russians are deploying their manpower and equipment day and night. The National Guard is repelling dozens of assaults, killing up to ten enemy soldiers in each attack.

Quote: "This is just our brigade. If you consider everyone together, the enemy is suffering massive daily manpower losses. Yet this does not stop them.

They can replenish and restore their numbers. As soon as one group enters, we destroy it and repel the assault. Immediately after, another group comes in."

Background:

• On 11 December, it was reported that Russian forces had attacked Ukrainian fortifications west of Vidrodzhennia and south of Novotroitske on the Pokrovsk front.

  As a result of prolonged battles, two Ukrainian positions were destroyed and one was lost.

• In early November, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, acknowledged that the situation on the front line was generally escalating. 
• Russian troops in Ukraine have been advancing at their fastest pace since the early days of the 2022 invasion.
• At the end of November, Syrskyi ordered reinforcements to be deployed to the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove fronts.
• On 11 December, Syrskyi reported that he had visited the Pokrovsk front to assess the combat situation and issue directives aimed at strengthening defensive resilience and increasing the effectiveness of operations to destroy Russian troops.

  The general noted that intense battles were ongoing in the area, with Russian forces outnumbering Ukrainian troops in manpower.

• On 12 December, Syrskyi stated that the military command was calculating all potential actions by Russian forces on the Pokrovsk front, which remains one of the most intense combat zones.

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