Russian forces are amassing troops to sever the logistics routes of Ukraine’s Defense Forces and infiltrate Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk's twin city in Donetsk Oblast, the Ukrainian 7th Corps of the Air Assault Forces reports. Moscow demands full control of the region in US-initiated peace talks.
Kyiv notes that Moscow views the potential capture of Myrnohrad and Pokrovsk not only as a military objective but also as a political lever to make an impression on US President Donald Trump.
The Kremlin seeks to force Ukraine into concessions across the entire Donbas, including the fortified lines built by the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 2014.
"Encircle from all sides": Myrnohrad becomes battlefield for elite drone units
According to Ukrainian military sources, the Russians have concentrated more than ten units around the city.
Roman Pysarenko, head of communications for the 79th Separate Tavriya Air Assault Brigade, has confirmed that the Russian military is acting in a coordinated manner, advancing simultaneously from several directions.
“They are trying with all their might to concentrate forces, from the west, east, south, and north, to cut our logistics as much as possible and effectively encircle our troops,” he says.
According to him, Ukrainian units continue to carry out combat missions in Myrnohrad and its outskirts.
However, the situation remains extremely tense: while the Defense Forces still hold positions in the northern part of the city, the southern part of Myrnohrad has been under occupation for several weeks, one of the soldiers told UNIAN.
“The situation is critical. We have not controlled the southern part of Myrnohrad for several weeks,” one of the officers acknowledges.
An additional threat comes from the active use of Russian unmanned systems units.
Military sources report that some of Russia’s most effective drone formations, Archangels and Rubikon, are operating in the Myrnohrad–Pokrovsk area.
Moscow troops employ not only FPV drones but also strike bomber UAVs, while the use of Ukrainian artillery in certain sectors is significantly constrained.
How airborne troops neutralized a Russian infantry soldier in a rear staging area
The 7th Corps of the Air Assault Forces reports that, after understanding Russia's tactics, Ukrainian airborne troops, together with adjacent units, are conducting a series of search-and-strike operations in concealed locations near Myrnohrad.
It is in these areas that Russian forces are attempting to mass troops to cut off logistics and break into the city.
In one case, the Russians used the territory of a fishery complex as a staging area. After analyzing radio intercepts, soldiers of the 79th Air Assault Brigade identified the call sign of a Russian infantry soldier hiding in one of the buildings.
To clear the site, Ukrainian troops decided against a frontal assault. Approaching the building closely, they spoke in Russian.
“Kedr, we’re your own. We’ve come to help," they said.
The assault group then entered the building without resistance and neutralized the occupier who was hiding there.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces emphasize that such precise actions disrupt Moscow's plans to build up forces and help prevent the complete encirclement of Ukrainian units on one of the most dangerous sectors of the front.
