At one point there were no Ukrainian troops in Pokrovsk. Now 13 km² has been retaken – Syrskyi
At a certain stage in the defence of Pokrovsk, there were no Ukrainian troops in the city, but since 15 November, the Defence Forces have managed to bring about 13 square kilometres of territory within the city limits back under control.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said this at a meeting with media executives, Censor.NET reports, citing Suspilne.
He added that the current length of the front line in Ukraine is 1,218 km, whereas a month ago it was 1,253 km.
Defence of Pokrovsk
"At a certain stage in the autumn, our troops were no longer present in Pokrovsk due to limited capabilities. However, since 15 November, as a result of our offensive actions, we have been able to take control of about 13 km² of territory within Pokrovsk (out of the city’s total area of 29 km²). We continue to hold the northern part of the city roughly along the railway line. In addition, to the west of Pokrovsk we have cleared and now control about 54 km²," Syrskyi said.
According to the Commander-in-Chief, a few days ago he ordered Ukrainian troops to withdraw from positions 5–7 km away from Pokrovsk.
"These were positions we could no longer rotate troops on, and the enemy was seeping past them. Holding them further was no longer advisable. And we have to preserve the lives of our service members," he explained.
Enemy buildup and Myrnohrad
The situation in the Pokrovsk sector remains difficult, he said.
Syrskyi added that the Russian army in this area continues to build up its grouping, which already numbers 156,000 personnel. The sector also accounts for 40–50% of all guided aerial bombs (KABs) used.
"This is now the main theatre of operations," he noted.
The Commander-in-Chief also stressed that Myrnohrad is not encircled, although the enemy is trying to achieve this. Logistics there are complicated but still functioning.
