In Donbas, Russia "Fails" At Pokrovsk As Ukraine Inflicts "Unsustainable Losses"

Putin is increasingly desperate for Trump to intervene on his behalf as his depleted army is being forced to retreat in key sectors of the front, especially in Donbas where they were once thought to be unstoppable. JL

Harriet Barber reports in The Telegraph:

Ukraine’s army is finding success along the eastern front, reclaiming key positions and inflicting “unsustainable losses” on Russian forces. Ukrainian forces have advanced against Russian troops close to the major eastern cities of Pokrovsk and Toretsk. Russian activity has decreased as Ukrainian forces are now inflicting “unsustainable losses” on Russian forces and holding them to “marginal gains.”  “The year-long Russian effort to seize Pokrovsk has so far failed.”

Ukraine’s army is finding some rare success along the eastern front, reclaiming key positions and inflicting “unsustainable losses” on Russian forces, according to battlefield reports.

While the front-line axis has not changed significantly, Ukrainian forces have advanced against Russian troops close to the major eastern cities of Pokrovsk and Toretsk, according to new reports.

“The Ukrainian armed forces are actively advancing in Toretsk, reclaiming key positions,” said one war blogger closely observing the front lines. “There are reports of complete encirclement of Russian occupiers in several areas.”

 

Toretsk provides a vital link for Ukraine to logistics bases in Kostiantynivka, north-west of the city. The attacks are reportedly being conducted with US-donated armoured vehicles.

Counter-attacks are also being conducted near Pokrovsk – a key city for Ukrainian defences. Russia has been moving towards the city for the past year, and has advanced 40km (25 miles) west since February 2024.

Last week, Ukraine announced a successful counter-attack to retake the settlement of Kotlyne, near Pokrovsk. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said: “The year-long Russian effort to seize Pokrovsk has so far failed.”

 

Meanwhile, Russian military bloggers – accounts which are often cited as sources of information in lieu of official commentary from the Kremlin – reported that the Kremlin’s troops had lost ground in Uspenivka in Donetsk Oblast.

 

The ISW also said on Saturday that Ukrainian forces were now inflicting “unsustainable losses” on Russian forces and holding them to “marginal gains”.

DeepState, a Ukrainian war-tracking blog, also said that Russian troops occupied 192 sq km of Ukrainian territory in February, marking a decline compared to previous months.

“Despite losing momentum, with the pace of advance now comparable to last July, the enemy continues to suffer heavy manpower losses,” DeepState said. “The enemy’s activity has decreased, although it has not ceased entirely.”

 

Praise for the counter-attacks is being lauded upon Gen Myhailo Drapatyi, Ukraine’s ground forces chief, who also recently took command of fighting in the eastern Donbas region.

 

The 42-year-old commander is considered part of a “new generation” of younger Ukrainian general officers who have fought against Russian forces since 2014.

 

Olena Mokrenchuk, the press officer of the Ukrainian armed forces, said previously that Gen Drapatyi’s strategies were “always unexpected and unconventional, but meticulously calculated”.

“He’s very effective. I believe that under his command, we’ll be able to push the Russians back,” she told Ukrainian broadcaster, Espreso TV.

 

In December 2024, Gen Drapatyi announced an ambitious transformation plan aimed at improving Ukraine’s position on the battlefield, including reforming training and providing Ukrainian soldiers with a technological edge over their enemy.

 

“Today, we’re building an army of the future – an army that will defeat the enemy and overcome every obstacle on the way of transformation,” Gen Drapatyi said.

However, Moscow is still gaining ground. On Saturday, it said it had seized two villages in eastern Ukraine, Skudne and Burlatske, in the south of the eastern Donetsk region.

DeepState also reported that Russia had advanced near Burlatske, Andriivka, Pryvilne, Sverdlikove and Mykolaivo-Daryne in the past few days. On Sunday, Russia conducted strikes on gas processing facilities used by the Ukrainian defence force.

The general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said in its operational update on Friday that the army was involved in “60 combat engagements”.

 

The intense fighting comes as senior US officials have warned that Donald Trump may cut all aid to Ukraine, including any final aid shipments that Joe Biden, the former US president, approved.

Writing about Ukraine’s recent gains and its army inflicting “unsustainable losses” on Russia, the ISW said: “This situation, combined with the severe challenges Russia will face in 2025, offers the United States great leverage in peace negotiations.”

Ukrainian forces have leveraged US-supplied military systems – including Patriot air-defence systems, Himars and Atacms long-range strike systems – to defend against nightly Russian drone and missile strikes and improve its strike capabilities.