Ukraine's counteroffensive confronts four Russian armies in Pokrovsk
Ukraine launched a counter-offensive north of Pokrovsk, recapturing eight villages. But Russia concentrated four army groups in Pokrovsk, ready for a major battle.
Báo Khoa học và Đời sống•29/08/2025
An unexpected situation occurred on the Pokrovsk battlefield, when the 1st Azov Corps of the Ukrainian Army (AFU), considered the strongest mobile reserve force of Kiev; as soon as they entered the battlefield, they discovered the biggest weakness of the Russian Army (RFAF) in Pokrovsk. In the Dobropilya direction, north of Pokrovsk, Russian troops advanced 18 km in three days, completely breaking through the Ukrainian defense line. They appeared behind the AFU in Pokrovsk, and the situation of the Ukrainian defense forces in Pokrovsk became extremely tense.
However, the 1st Azov Corps was thrown into the fray at the right time and found an opportunity in the chaotic battlefield. The Russian blitzkrieg, due to the great distances, was beyond the effective support of artillery groups. Moreover, due to the rapid advance, the RFAF had no time to establish supply lines. The entire Russian assault force north of Pokrovsk, consisting entirely of light infantry, relied on UAVs for reconnaissance and long-range artillery fire support. All logistical support relied on large 4-axis UAVs to transport weapons, ammunition and food. This deep thrust by the RFAF was extremely bold, in stark contrast to their current cautious and steady approach. The 132nd Motorized Infantry Brigade, deployed from near Konstantinovka, demonstrated a truly bold and aggressive fighting style. In three days, they advanced 18 kilometers and captured an area of over 100 square kilometers. The AFU General Staff urgently mobilized the 1st Azov Corps to stop the Russian attack force and stabilize the front. And it was the 1st Azov Corps that discovered the weakness of the Russian attack force, which was the rapid advance, lack of logistical supplies, and the width of the entire spearhead being too narrow. The Azov Corps did not immediately establish blocking positions; instead, they launched a surprise counterattack. The 12th Azov Brigade and the 14th Kalina Brigade of the 1st Azov Corps were fully engaged. Northeast of Pokrovsk, the Ukrainians directly cut off the narrowest part of the spearhead of the Russian 132nd Motorized Rifle Brigade.
The AFU General Staff even sent in the 83rd Airborne Brigade and a battalion of the 93rd Mechanized Assault Brigade, launching an attack from the foot of the “salient”, aiming to completely cut off the retreat route of the RFAF 132nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade and complete the encirclement. However, the RFAF Central Group deployed the 18th Motorized Infantry Division in this area. The 18th Division's specialty is defensive combat, and its permanent bases are on Sakhalin Island and the Kuril Islands, to counter the US-Japanese landings in the eastern part of Russia. The 18th Division protects the foot of the "salient" north of Pokrovsk. The AFU counteroffensive, codenamed Operation Storm, north of Pokrovsk, began to tear apart the RFAF 132nd Motorized Infantry Brigade's deep penetration formation. The Russian breakthrough force was outnumbered and lacked heavy firepower, so it had no intention of fighting to hold ground, and when attacked on the flank, it withdrew immediately and rapidly. AFU's Storm counteroffensive operation within 48 hours recaptured the villages of Zoloty Kolodziadz, the suburbs of Vesele and Kucheriv Yar, as well as the villages of Rubizhne, Vilne, Nove Shakhove, Ivanivka and Dorozhnje. Now, if the RFAF captured the strategic town of Rodinske, they would be able to capture the city of Pokrovsk. Once Pokrovsk was captured, the Ukrainian forces in nearby Dobropilya and Bilytske would have to retreat. After the RFAF's flank attack on Pokrovsk failed, they mobilized their main force to attack Rodinske.
The most powerful 2nd, 41st, 51st and 68th Armies of the RFAF Central Group were now present on the Pokrovsk front. The AFU General Staff reported that as of 22:00 on August 25, the RFAF had launched 35 attacks in the direction of Pokrovsk and had deployed special forces to continuously attack Ukrainian frontline positions. A decisive battle may be about to begin at Pokrovsk, as the RFAF has concentrated a force of 160,000 regular troops from four armies, and the AFU has also committed its reserves, including the 12th and 14th Azov Brigades, the 2nd Special Forces Brigade, the 83rd Airborne Brigade, the 93rd Commando Brigade, the 38th Marine Brigade, and the 20th Lyubat National Guard Brigade. Although the negotiations between the US and Russia have ended, the basic requirements and criteria for Russia to win are still to occupy four provinces in eastern Ukraine, Ukraine must disband its army and replace the current government with a pro-Russian government.
The RFAF could completely capture Pokrovsk by the end of this summer and the remaining three major cities in Donetsk Oblast by 2026. The RFAF would then accelerate straight to the Dnieper River and establish a buffer zone right in the Dnieper River basin. Now the decisive strategic battle between Russia and Ukraine is on the Pokrovsk front. The AFU is currently counterattacking positions south of Pokrovsk, and the main force of the RFAF is engaged in fierce fighting with the Ukrainian army in and around the village of Troyanda, on the southern outskirts of Pokrovsk. (photo source: Military Review, Ukrinform, Rvvoenkory, TASS).
Báo Khoa học và Đời sống•29/08/2025
Comment (0)