The Russian military has reportedly increased its forces by approximately 16,000 troops amid renewed assaults in eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin appears to be aiming to capture more than 30% of the Donbas region, with operations potentially commencing in about ten days, as noted by a Ukrainian military commander on Wednesday.
“In the Pokrovsk area, the Russians seem determined to breach our defensive lines,” stated Major General Ole Shriyayev, who leads Ukraine’s 225th separate attack regiment.
“From my perspective—though it’s just my personal view—the enemy is amassing more reserves there and might launch a counterattack soon,” he added.
Pokrovsk is strategically significant for logistical reasons, and Moscow has intensified efforts to take control of the area for over a year. It’s situated in a relatively open section of Donetsk Oblast, which Russian President Vladimir Putin is eager to fully capture. Struggles for the region date back to 2014.
In the previous month, President Putin suggested that Ukraine should yield the remaining Donetsk territory as a precondition for ending the conflict. This claim has been met with skepticism from Ukraine, as sources indicate that the Kremlin cannot realistically expect Ukraine to relinquish its land.
This year, Russian forces are concentrating their efforts on four primary fronts: north in Ukraine, near Pokrovsk in the east, and in Zaporidia in the southeast.
As reported on Wednesday, around half of these assaults have been repelled, according to a post by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Operation Smie has already failed. Russia has suffered considerable losses, especially among its skilled personnel, and is reallocating troops to other fronts. Ukrainian forces have dealt even greater losses,” he remarked.
“Currently, Russia has only two operations left. However, given their troop losses, they seem incapable of launching a large-scale attack at this moment,” he observed.
While Shriyayev is cautious about an impending invasion, he acknowledged that Ukraine successfully countered recent Russian advances. Recently, they managed to reclaim a small village northeast of Pokrovsk that was previously occupied by Russian forces.
“Our battalion took back a village called Pankibuka, which previously posed a narrow threat to the enemy,” he explained.
“This shift has improved the situation for us,” Shriyayev commented.
“With timely support from our partners, we can effectively respond to such developments,” he urged.
His call for assistance comes just after reports emerged indicating that NATO partners have approved several weapon packages for Ukraine. However, details regarding the contents and shipping timelines of these packages remain unclear.
The Department of Defense did not provide comments regarding the reported approval of the weapon packages.
While Ukraine has developed a robust defense industry focused on combat and reconnaissance drones, it still depends on European nations for traditional weaponry such as artillery from the United States.
Drones can manage only a limited number of targets, while Ukraine utilizes artillery to engage larger groups, which Shriyayev suggests may soon move forward.
“Artillery remains crucial because various systems with different calibers allow us to engage at varying distances,” he added. “Without artillery, modern warfare is practically unfeasible.”
“Artillery won’t lose its significance since drones can’t meet all combat needs,” he concluded.
