POKROVSK REGION, Ukraine — A severe lack of infantry and supply routes threatened by Russian drone assaults are creating significant challenges for Ukrainian forces in Pokrovsk, where critical engagements in the nearly three-year conflict are occurring — and time is of the essence.
Ukrainian troops are ceding territory near the vital supply hub, situated at the intersection of several highways leading to key cities in the eastern Donetsk area, as well as an essential railway station.
Moscow aims to seize as much land as possible as the Trump administration advocates for negotiations to conclude the war and has recently halted foreign aid to Ukraine, a decision that has stunned Ukrainian officials who are already worried about the new U.S. president’s intentions, their most crucial ally. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that military assistance has not ceased.
Ukrainian soldiers in Pokrovsk reported that Russian forces have changed their approach in the past few weeks, targeting their sides instead of launching direct assaults to encircle the city. With Russian troops holding strategic heights, Ukrainian supply lines are now within their reach. Recent heavy fog has hindered Ukrainian soldiers from effectively operating surveillance drones, enabling Russians to fortify their positions and capture additional territory.
Ukrainian commanders have indicated that they lack sufficient reserves to maintain defense lines, and new infantry units are struggling to carry out operations. Many are placing their hopes on Mykhailo Drapatyi, a well-regarded commander who was recently appointed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the chief of ground forces, to change the situation and lead a counterattack.
“The key to victory in war is logistics. Without logistics, infantry is ineffective, as they cannot be supplied,” stated Afer, the deputy commander of the Da Vinci Wolves battalion.
“The Russians have grasped this concept and are implementing it effectively.”
A mix of circumstances has led Kyiv to essentially lose control of the settlement of Velyka Novosilka over the past week, marking their most significant setback since capturing the city of Kurakhove in the Donetsk region in January.
Ukrainian commanders reported that scattered groups of their soldiers are still located in the southern part of Velyka Novosilka, which has drawn criticism from some military analysts who questioned why the top command did not initiate a complete withdrawal.
The road-junction village is situated just 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the adjacent Dnipropetrovsk region, where local authorities have started constructing fortifications for the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, bracing for potential further Russian advances.
Ukrainian soldiers reported that Russia has gathered a significant number of infantry forces near Velyka Novosilka. Recent heavy fog has made it difficult for Ukrainian drones to conduct surveillance, according to a commander located near Pokrovsk who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive military information.
“The enemy has been gathering forces in this period … establishing positions and fortifying them skillfully,” he mentioned.
At that critical point, Russian forces initiated a major attack: as many as 10 columns of armored vehicles, each consisting of nearly 10 units, advanced from multiple directions.
Key supply routes along paved roads and highways are now under direct threat from Russian drones due to Moscow’s recent advancements, further burdening Ukrainian troops.
Russian forces currently control significant high ground around the Pokrovsk region, enabling them to deploy drones up to 30 kilometers (18 miles) into Ukrainian territory.
According to the commander stationed on Pokrovsk’s flanks, the Pokrovsk-Pavlohrad-Dnipro highway is “already under Russian drone control.” He noted that Russian forces are situated less than 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) away, impacting Ukrainian traffic. “Currently, the road operates at only 10% of its previous capacity,” he stated.
Another main road, the Myrnohrad-Kostyantynivka route, is also being targeted by Russian fire, he mentioned.
This situation necessitates that in poor weather conditions, military vehicles, such as armored personnel carriers, tanks, and pickup trucks, must traverse open fields to deliver supplies like fuel, food, and ammunition, as well as to evacuate wounded personnel.
At a first-aid station near Pokrovsk, a paramedic with the call sign Marik reported that the time required to evacuate wounded soldiers has shifted from hours to days.
“Everything is clearly visible to enemy drones, making the task extremely challenging,” he said.
Ukrainian troops in Pokrovsk expressed that the shortage of combat personnel is “catastrophic,” with difficulties further exacerbated by the introduction of new infantry units that lack proper training and experience, thereby increasing the strain on seasoned brigades tasked with stabilizing the front lines.
Deputy commander Afer voiced concerns that new recruits are “continuously expanding the front line as they abandon their posts, failing to hold, control, or monitor them. We end up doing nearly all the work ourselves.”
“Consequently, what begins as a 2-kilometer area of responsibility quickly expands to 8-9 kilometers per battalion, which is excessive, and our resources are insufficient,” Afer remarked. He noted that drones are particularly scarce for his battalion, admitting they only possess half of the required quantities.
“It’s not that they are inferior infantry, but they are entirely unprepared for modern combat,” he said about the inexperienced recruits.
His battalion is left with almost no reserves, compelling infantry units to maintain front-line positions for extended periods. He pointed out the disparity in numbers, stating that for each of his soldiers, the Russians have 20.
In the first-aid station, a soldier with the call sign Fish was recuperating from a leg injury sustained while attempting to evacuate an incapacitated comrade. He had moved the comrade from a dugout in order to load him into a vehicle just before a nearby Russian mortar shell detonated.