Ukrainian forces continue to hold off Russian attempts to advance in the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad sector as the Kremlin pushes to capture the remaining parts of Donetsk Oblast. A Ukrainian military unit, operating in the area, says Russian troops suffered 370 casualties over the past week amid mounting losses and shifting assault tactics.
Russian losses mount in Pokrovsk sector
Ukraine’s 7th Air Assault Corps reported on 19 January that the defensive operation in the Pokrovsk urban agglomeration remains active. Since early December, Russia’s 76th Pskov Air Assault Division, considered part of the operational reserve, has suffered “significant losses” during its repeated assault operations. These setbacks have forced Russia to bring in additional units to maintain offensive pressure.
According to Ukrainian forces, Russia intends to replenish its losses near Pokrovsk in several stages by the end of January.
370 Russian casualties and 1,400 drones neutralized
Over the past week alone, Ukrainian troops have inflicted around 370 Russian casualties, combining both killed and injured, according to the report. In addition, 86 units of auto and motorcycle transport and 20 artillery pieces and self-propelled guns were either destroyed or damaged. Ukrainian forces also reported downing or disabling nearly 1,400 Russian strike drones.
In Pokrovsk, Russian forces continue attempts to infiltrate the northern part of the city — north of the railway line — in small groups. However, Ukrainian countermeasures have reportedly prevented Russia from massing sufficient troops near the industrial zone in the city's northwest.
As a result, Russian forces are unable to launch open assaults on Hryshyne, which remains one of their priority objectives in the area, the report says. Instead of large-scale attacks, Russian troops are now operating in small infantry groups, using forested areas to try to approach Hryshyne from the south.
In neighboring Myrnohrad, Ukrainian forces continue to resist Russian attempts to push into the northern part of the city.
The Ukrainian military also reported a noticeable buildup of Russian equipment near Novohrodivka, located south of Myrnohrad. These forces are expected to support renewed assault efforts, including potential offensives targeting “upper” Myrnohrad.
Ukraine’s Defense Forces are actively working to detect and destroy this military hardware before it can be used, the 7th Corps says..
