In 7 Hour Battle, Large Russian Assault On Pokrovsk Destroyed By Ukrainians

There are a number of implications from the Ukrainians' defeat of a large Russian assault in the Pokrovsk sector after a seven hour battle. 

First the Ukrainians have now defeated and inflicted significant losses on a series of Russian attacks involving hundreds of troops and dozens of vehicles, including armor and motorcycles. Second, these are major battles lasting hours, between two heavily armed militaries - and the Ukrainians have won them all. Third, the preponderance of Ukrainian drones over Russian attackers suggests that Russian attempts at breakthroughs continue to falter, raising questions about their ability to win given that the Kremlin is using everything it has. The Ukrainians have demonstrated that in head-to-head heavyweight slugfests that they are repeatedly the better army. The question is how long that will take to be processed in Moscow. JL 

Julia Struck reports in the Kyiv Post:

Ukrainian forces repelled a large-scale Russian assault in the Pokrovsk sector in a seven hour battle, eliminating 200 soldiers and destroying 96 motorcycles, 21 armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles, and two artillery systems. Videos show large numbers of destroyed Russian vehicles and troops, as well as heavy explosions and thick smoke. mass assaults using “two-wheeled disposable stormtroopers” create unique challenges as “the focus of attention gets scattered, the risk of breakthrough rises, artillery becomes less effective, and FPV drones without optics face limitations.”

 

Ukrainian forces repel a large-scale Russian assault in the Pokrovsk sector (Donetsk region) in a seven hour battle, eliminating 200 soldiers and destroying a significant amount of equipment.

Commander of the National Guard of Ukraine, Oleksandr Pivnenko, posted two videos of the battle on Telegram.

He reported that on Thursday, April 17, soldiers of the 14th National Guard Brigade “Chervona Kalyna” repelled a major mechanized assault by Russian forces.

 

“The fighters of ‘Chervona Kalyna’ act clearly and ruthlessly, defending every piece of their native land,” the statement reads.

Pivnenko said the Kremlin committed a large force to the attack, including armored combat vehicles, motorcycles, and about two companies of infantry.

 

“Our defenders showed true professionalism and resilience! The results of the battle are impressive,” he wrote.

The videos – which Kyiv Post has not been able to independently verify – show large numbers of destroyed Russian vehicles and troops, as well as heavy explosions and thick smoke.

Pivnenko initially reported that over 240 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded. Among the destroyed Russian equipment were 96 motorcycles, 21 armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles, and two artillery systems.

“This battle is yet another testament to the coordinated and professional actions of our defenders who are holding the front!” he added.

 

He captioned the second video: “A few more shots of the enemy’s ‘biker’ assault on the Pokrovsk sector!”

 

Pivnenko said Russian losses are expected to be even higher after further assessments.

Mykola Koval, head of communications for the 14th Brigade, told Suspilne Donbas outlet that this was one of the largest assaults seen in this sector recently.

 

Junior Sergeant Stanislav Bunyatov of the 24th Aidar Assault Battalion commented on the attack via Telegram, calling it a “fierce move.” He said that mass assaults using “two-wheeled disposable stormtroopers” create unique challenges.

“The focus of attention gets scattered, the risk of breakthrough rises, artillery becomes less effective, and FPV drones without optics face limitations,” he wrote.

Bunyatov praised the defenders, saying it is many times more difficult to repel this kind of assault compared to traditional attacks.

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed at a Thursday briefing that Russia had prepared a major assault near Pokrovsk and commended Ukrainian troops for successfully stopping it.

Due to the coordinated efforts of the 14th and 117th Brigades, 115 Russian vehicles were reportedly destroyed, 200 troops killed, and another 30 injured.

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), General Oleksandr Syrsky, announced on Facebook April 17 that the Ukrainian Defense Forces have liberated territory near Pokrovsk in recent weeks.

“In recent weeks, about 16 square kilometers of territory have been liberated in the area of the settlements of Udachne, Kotlyne, and Shevchenko,” he wrote.

 

Syrsky added that the defensive operation continues, with the AFU conducting counteroffensive actions and achieving “certain successes.”

According to the interactive map by the Ukrainian project DeepState, Kotlyne has been marked as liberated within the past two weeks, while Udachne and Shevchenko are listed as “locations requiring further verification.”

In recent days, Russia has intensified its assaults across several fronts – particularly in Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk – often using large groups of infantry supported by motorcycles and buggies in what has become a new tactic.

Ukrainian forces repelled a large Russian assault in the south on April 16, eliminating 140 troops, destroying 29 pieces of military equipment, and damaging three tanks, the Southern Defense Forces reported.

The Russian assault group included at least 320 personnel, 40 armored vehicles, three tanks, and about a dozen buggies. The attack took place near Pyatykhatky, Stepove, Lobkove, Mala Tokmachka, and Mali Shcherbaky (Zaporizhia region) and involved units from the 58th Russian Combined Arms Army.

Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance detected the movement early, allowing drone and artillery strikes to halt the advance. The battle lasted over two and a half hours, with Ukraine holding all positions.

 

Junior Sergeant Stanislav Bunyatov described it as “one of the largest offensives,” noting over 300 Russian troops were involved – “compared to 30-40 North Koreans” during assaults in Kursk Oblast.

On Monday, Ukraine’s Separate Presidential Brigade released footage of the 3rd Mechanized Battalion destroying around 20 Russian motorcycles and over 20 armored vehicles, including tanks and BMPs, during another failed Russian assault.

FPV drones stopped the initial push, and a second wave of three mechanized columns was also destroyed. Ukrainian forces estimated up to 200 Russian troops were killed. The location was not disclosed.

In early April, Ukrainian troops repelled another major assault near Andriivka in the Donetsk region, about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) south of Bakhmut. Two Russian platoons with 19 armored vehicles were spotted and hit by artillery and drones.

Twelve vehicles were destroyed or damaged. Russian troop losses vary: official reports cite 18 killed and 7 wounded, while other sources claim up to 60 killed.