Ukrainian forces in Pokrovsk sector at risk of operational encirclement - military expert

Dmytro Sniehyriov, a military expert, stated this on Espreso TV.

“The situation near Nevelske is critical, with Ukrainian Armed Forces units facing the risk of being encircled. A decision has likely been made to withdraw these units to prevent heavy losses. Over the last day, in the Vuhledar sector, Russian forces have been targeting Ukrainian positions on the flanks to encircle the area. This development poses a serious challenge,” he reported.

According to sources close to the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, the number of Russian troops in the Pokrovsk sector is estimated to be between 70,000 and 80,000, Sniehyriov reported.

“The main objective of the occupying army is to capture not only Pokrovsk but also the surrounding cities of Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, and Selydove. These are large industrial centers, and several goals are being pursued simultaneously. The first is the military: advancing to the administrative borders with the Dnipropetrovsk region and taking control of key locations, including the Pokrovsk-Kostiantynivka highway. The Pokrovsk-Karlivka highway and the village of Karlivka are already under Russian control. Economic objectives are also a focus, particularly the coking coal deposits, the largest in Europe. This is the only area in Ukraine where coking coal, crucial for the steel industry, is mined. Russia understands that without this coal, Ukraine’s steel industry, especially the steel mills in Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, will face significant problems, creating additional issues for the Ukrainian steel sector and causing social tensions in areas controlled by the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” the military expert explained.

According to Sniehyriov, there’s also an information and political angle being addressed.

"Putin will likely present the advance to the borders of the Dnipropetrovsk region as a partial achievement of his so-called special military operation. On September 30, 2022, Putin signed a decree to include the so-called Donetsk People's Republic into the Russian Federation within the administrative borders of the Donetsk region. Therefore, it’s no coincidence that the Pokrovsk direction is considered a key focus. These three factors - military, economic, and political - will play a major role in the plans of the Russian forces," he explained.

• Over the last day, the Russian army lost 1,390 soldiers in the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian forces destroyed 7 tanks and 43 drones.