Ukraine Clearing Russians North of Pokrovsk As Another Kremlin Plan Disrupted

Taking a page from their own book, Ukrainian forces around Pokrovsk got the jump on Russian units attempting to infiltrate in yet another limited operation intended to - finally, maybe - succeed at Pokrovsk this decade. 

If the tactics sound familiar, it is because they are eerily similar to what the Ukrainians have been achieving in Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk. That is, anticipating the Russia strategy and then acting before the Kremlin can give their orders. The significance is that this reconfirms the growing sense that, at least so far in 2026, Ukraine has seized the momentum from Russia. JL

Yuri Zoria reports in Euromaidan Press:

Ukraine's 7th Rapid Reaction Corps troops are conducting clearing operations northwest of Pokrovsk, while simultaneously striking Russian troop concentrations at the Russians' current staging ground with drones. The Institute for the Study of War confirmed Russian forces had attacked multiple points around Pokrovsk but did not advance. The Ukrainians are conducting active search-and-strike operations in Hryshyne, systematically detecting and destroying each group before it can consolidate. The 7th Corps' goal is to drive Russian forces entirely out of the settlement.

Ukrainian forces are conducting clearing operations in the central part of Hryshyne, northwest of Donetsk Oblast's Pokrovsk, while simultaneously striking Russian troop concentrations in Pokrovsk's northwest with drones, the 7th Rapid Reaction Corps of Ukraine's Airborne Assault Forces reported on 15 March. The Institute for the Study of War confirmed that Russian forces attacked multiple points around Pokrovsk on 14 and 15 March but did not advance.

Russian forces have been targeting Hryshyne for months as part of their broader effort to advance northwest of Pokrovsk — the settlement's capture would give Russia a forward position to push deeper into Donetsk Oblast's remaining Ukrainian-held territory.

Clearing operations in Hryshyne's center

The 7th Corps reported that the 425th Separate Assault Regiment Skelya and the 155th Separate Mechanized Brigade are conducting active search-and-strike operations in Hryshyne, where intense infantry fighting continues. Russian forces are attempting to establish positions in the settlement's built-up areas, but Ukrainian units are systematically detecting and destroying each group before it can consolidate. The 7th Corps said its goal is to drive Russian forces entirely out of the settlement.

 Assessed control of terrain in the Pokrovsk direction as of 15 March 2026 at 1:30 p.m. ET. Map: ISW

ISW assessed that Russia attacked northwest of Pokrovsk near Hryshyne and Serhiivka, north near Rodynske and Bilytske, northeast near Myrnohrad, Zatyshok, and Sukhetske, and southwest near Molodetske and Udachne on both 14 and 15 March — confirming no advances on any of these axes.

Pokrovsk's northwest as a staging zone

While clearing Hryshyne's center, Skelya and the 155th Brigade are also striking Russian personnel concentrations in the northwestern part of Pokrovsk, the 7th Corps noted. The corps identified this area as Russia's current staging ground — the sector where Russian forces are massing troops and preparing for the next push toward Hryshyne, only 3.5 km away from Russian-controlled parts of Pokrovsk. Russia appears to have seized Pokrovsk after a two-year battle in late January 2026, with ISW reporting no Ukrainian forces observed in the city since then.

Earlier this month, Ukraine's Spartan Brigade of the National Guard used a loudspeaker-equipped drone to convince four Russian soldiers to surrender near Pokrovsk.