Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Air Assault Forces said Russian troops are exploiting poor weather to resume infiltration tactics on the Pokrovsk direction in a bid to exaggerate the scale of their gains.
A Ukrainian brigade commander, however, said heavy autumn rains are hindering Russian logistics in Pokrovsk. The 7th Corps’ press service reports that Russian drones are disrupting Ukraine’s ground lines of communication inside the city.
Russian pro-war channels claim drone operators from the “Rubikon” unit have created a UAV equivalent of “air superiority” on the Pokrovsk direction.
The Ukrainian military said Russian troops, including drone operators, continue to wear civilian clothes - an act considered perfidy under international law - to conduct infiltration missions undetected. A photo published by German outlet BILD shows a Russian soldier in civilian attire without insignia inside a high-rise building in Pokrovsk.
Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, visited Ukrainian commanders operating on the Pokrovsk direction and said on October 30 that Russia’s claims of encircling Ukrainian forces around Pokrovsk or Myrnohrad are false.
Russia’s military leadership is currently prioritizing offensive operations on the Pokrovsk direction, reportedly massing 11,000 troops for the mission. The pace of Russia’s advance in the area remains slow, however, even as Ukrainian forces face mounting challenges defending the sector.
Ukrainian forces on the Pokrovsk direction have for weeks contended with Russian infiltration missions and drone strikes on Ukrainian lines of communication, but continue to slow Russia’s advance, especially on the eastern flank near Myrnohrad.
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) say the pace of Russia’s advance on the Pokrovsk direction could shift if any factor changes that affects Russia’s offensive capabilities or Ukraine’s defensive capabilities. The evolving use of drones and the increasingly porous front line around Pokrovsk make it difficult to assess the degree of control Russian or Ukrainian forces exert in and around the city.
