Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (GUR) continues stabilization operations in the city of Pokrovsk, and Kremlin claims that a GUR airborne detachment was “wiped out” are false, RBC-Ukraine reported, citing its own sources in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
RBC-Ukraine’s sources also said Kremlin propaganda claims that Ukrainian Defense Forces in Pokrovsk have been encircled are untrue. Ukrainian troops continue to defend the city.
Earlier on November 1, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Russian troops had “foiled a helicopter landing attempt by GUR special operations forces near Pokrovsk,” alleging that “all 11 commandos were eliminated.” Ukrainian sources rejected the statement as false and have long accused Russia’s Defense Ministry of misrepresenting battlefield realities, including to President Vladimir Putin.
According to Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and the Ukrainian OSINT project Deep State, Russian forces are trying to choke Ukrainian logistics in Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, Donetsk region. To unblock supply lines near Pokrovsk, the GUR of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry deployed a helicopter-borne force. This became known on November 31 from a post on X by The Economist journalist Oliver Carroll, who published video of Ukrainian paratroopers disembarking from a helicopter.
Reuters later confirmed the operation, citing two Ukrainian military sources, and reported that it is personally overseen by Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence.
Deep State notes that Ukraine’s logistics challenges stem not only from Russian advances around Pokrovsk, but also from the fact that many Ukrainian positions are in open fields rather than urban terrain, making them vulnerable to enemy drones.
Ukraine’s General Staff said that on October 31, Russian forces launched 48 attacks on the Pokrovsk axis, with fighting near Nikanorivka, Rodynske, Krasnyi Lyman, Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, Novoukrainka and other settlements.
