Russian forces attempt to encircle Pokrovsk through nearby settlements. Serhiy Zgurets’ column

Frontline situation

Let's start with the situation on the front line. Two directions remain the most prioritized for Russia. Russian troops are attempting to push Ukrainian forces out of the Kursk region, but they are failing, and on the contrary, Russian troops are falling under strikes from Ukrainian precision weapons.

The second direction is Pokrovsk. On January 1, 38 Russian attacks occurred there, which accounts for a quarter of all the attacks along the entire front line.

The spokesperson for Ukraine's Khortytsia operational and strategic troop grouping explained that Russian troops advancing on Pokrovsk are not launching a direct assault but are trying to encircle the city and disrupt the logistical supply that sustains Ukrainian units in Pokrovsk. The spokesperson noted that there are no urban battles, and Russian forces do not reach the city limits, except for minor reconnaissance and sabotage groups, which are being destroyed. However, Russian drones are complicating the logistical support for Pokrovsk.

What does it mean when people say the Russians are attempting to encircle Pokrovsk through neighboring settlements? Currently, there are no Russian frontal advances, but there are two directions where they have intensified combat operations. One is the western flank of the Ukrainian defense, where Russian forces are advancing from the settlements of Pishchane, Vovche, Solone, and Novovasylivka. The other direction is on the left flank, where the settlement of Vozdvyzhenka is located, 4 km from the Pokrovsk-Kostiantynivka road.

Russia's goal is to push towards the Pavlohrad-Pokrovsk road, one of the eight routes that supply Pokrovsk. This is one direction of Russian actions. The second important direction is the left flank, where Vozdvyzhenka is another focus of the Russian efforts to limit the logistical supply of Pokrovsk from the east.

However, there are several routes that provide access to Pokrovsk from the northern direction. These Russian attempts from the west and east do not pose a critical threat. They are difficult and problematic, but it is unlikely they can completely cut off the logistical support for Pokrovsk.

We know that the defense there is held by several of Ukraine's well-known brigades: the 25th Airborne Brigade, the 108th Ranger Brigade, and the Da Vinci Wolves assault battalion. Also operating there are units from the 155th Mechanized Brigade Anna Kyivska, which was formed in France.

155th Brigade Anna Kyivska: Ukraine opens case

What’s happening with the 155th Brigade Anna Kyivska? On December 31, a publication by Yuriy Butusov revealed that the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) opened a criminal case regarding the circumstances of the formation of this mechanized brigade, which is now engaged in combat near Pokrovsk. Before the brigade entered combat, 1,700 servicemen out of a total of 5,000 left the brigade voluntarily.

However, when the number of 1,700 servicemen is mentioned, it should be noted that the brigade was formed unusually. Initially, there were 2,500 soldiers formed in March, but they were later reassigned to other units, effectively undermining the work of all commanders.

Subsequently, a new brigade was formed from scratch, with about 1,900 servicemen sent to France, where 50 Ukrainian soldiers went AWOL. The SBI has opened an investigation into the abandonment of training and is looking into the reasons why soldiers left training courses in France.

However, the problem is actually much broader. I recommend reading the extensive article by Yuriy Butusov, where he explains what caused the difficulties in preparing the brigade, its deployment, and its supply.

When we talk about forming new brigades, we should look at the example of how military leadership handled the formation and deployment of this brigade. I believe that all conclusions, including negative ones, should be made to prevent a recurrence of this situation. Untrained soldiers, unprepared commanders, units without drones and electronic warfare systems, untrained artillerymen — all are being thrown into battle to perform tasks in such a critical area as the Pokrovsk direction.

The publication contains many facts and details, but it is an extremely unpleasant story that requires assessment because the problems go beyond the 50 AWOL soldiers in France. It is about the formation and approaches to forming new brigades. If we continue to act as we did in forming the 155th brigade, it will mean that we will lack the personnel to conduct combat operations against Russia using such approaches.

We need to talk about systemic changes in military management and the transformation of training in the Ukrainian Ground Forces. On January 2, it became known that Ukraine's Minister of Defense, Rustem Umerov, announced an inspection and analysis of the Ground Forces command's performance.

Let me remind you that a new commander of the Ground Forces was recently appointed. I doubt that this inspection will provide the new commander with any new insights or capabilities. However, we can see that it is a response to the history of mistakes or systemic errors in the use of military personnel, particularly in the case of the 155th Anna Kyivska brigade, which was a significant political project. We know that Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelenskyy talked about the importance of forming such a brigade. It was established and prepared, but in reality, its utilization and the level of training do not meet the needs that currently exist on the battlefield.

Ukrainian snipers on the battlefield

Next, we will discuss other dimensions of the battlefield where professionalism plays a key role. We often mention the need for technological solutions, robotic platforms, and drone operators, but there is a special group within Ukrainian forces — individuals whose skill can truly ensure significant destruction of the enemy, and we are talking about snipers.

To start, let's recall the video released by Ukraine's intelligence agency (HUR) on December 16, where a sniper eliminates a Russian soldier at a distance of 2,069 meters. In winter conditions, the target is moving, using a Sako M10 rifle, Lapua Magnum 338 caliber ammunition, and with the first shot, the target is hit. The target is eliminated!

Yuriy Chornomorets, a religious scholar and philosopher, and a sniper with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, noted that a shot with the 338 Lapua Magnum is at the limit of this caliber’s capabilities. There are snipers who consistently hit targets at distances of over 2 km. For example, in Ukraine's Steel Border unit, a soldier hit a target at 2,135 meters, with video confirmation. It should be noted that snipers belong to different branches, and this was not a record shot but still a very good one, as most snipers with the 338 caliber cover distances up to 1,500 meters, and distances of 1,800-1,900 meters become more difficult. Accordingly, there is a discussion among Ukrainian snipers about switching to the 375 caliber. The 338 caliber does not always allow snipers to cover the targets they see. The use of 375 caliber by sniper groups has led to covering distances over 2 km, which has reduced the number of snipers killed.

The sniper with the Ukrainian Armed Forces shared that there is currently a demand among snipers for ARCHER thermal scopes to counter Russian movements at night. Another need is for 375-caliber rifles. One of the current challenges in the Ukrainian military is the insufficient number of infantry, particularly near Pokrovsk. Therefore, there is a request for more systematic support for whole groups that could cover certain directions. This recalls the situation of 2022 and 2023, when snipers were assigned specific areas to cover and secure positions with their fire.

The sniper added that newly trained snipers are always included in battles within established groups that have been working on specific sections of the front. New snipers survive and are useful when integrated into old groups. If they are simply thrown into battle, as new brigades are, they won’t last more than a day or two, even after six months of training. Overall, the military should adopt this practice regarding reinforcements in brigades.

Yuriy Chornomorets shared that there are very good units that continue to recruit snipers. Currently, the 1st separate assault battalion named after Hero of Ukraine Dmytro Kotsiubaylo is expanding into a regiment. They are fighting near Pokrovsk. The sniper platoon of this battalion has a commander and excellent snipers who are well-equipped with everything they need. Therefore, he personally recommends that professionals who want to fight in a good team, where the command understands what good snipers are and takes care of them, join the best groups. Those with officer ranks can consider applying to the SBU's Alpha unit, where sniper groups are used very effectively.