Ukraine Halts Russians North Of Pokrovsk; Myrnohrad "Tense, Not Critical"

Ukraine's surprise counterattack in the Pokrovsk over the weekend appears to have halted one arm of Russia's intended encirclement while also improving Ukrainian tactical positions inside the city. 

The situation remains dynamic and complex, but not as critical as some news reports suggest (as usual). JL

Jared Goyette reports in the Kyiv Independent:

In Pokrovsk, the latest news is positive — a report from the Ukrainian military that the Russian advance north of the city has been halted. Assault and special operations units blocked an effort to cut a supply route between Pokrovsk and nearby Rodynske, killing 19 Russian soldiers. The  situation in adjacent Myrnohrad — critical to the defense of Pokrovsk’s northern flank — was “tense but not critical,” and that additional Ukrainian units had reinforced the area.

We are closely monitoring the situation in Pokrovsk. The latest news is positive — a report from the Ukrainian military that the Russian advance north of the city has been halted — but the situation inside the city and to the south remains unclear.

Ukraine says it halted Russian push north of Pokrovsk

Ukrainian forces said on Nov. 3 that they stopped a Russian attempt to advance north of Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub in Donetsk Oblast, which is semi-circled by Russian forces and the site of fierce fighting.

The 7th Rapid Response Corps of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces said in a statement that assault and special operations units blocked an effort to cut a supply route between Pokrovsk and nearby Rodynske, killing 19 Russian soldiers. The corps added that the situation in adjacent Myrnohrad — critical to the defense of Pokrovsk’s northern flank — was “tense but not critical,” and that additional Ukrainian units had reinforced the area.

At the same time, open-source outlets, such as DeepState Map, and recent media reports indicate the fight for Pokrovsk is intensifying both inside the city and on its southern flank. “On Pokrovsk’s eastern and southern perimeters, Russian forces have slowly crept forward in recent weeks, seizing roads, slowly strangling supply lines, and pressuring Ukrainian defenses,” reads a Nov. 3 report from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.