Two Ukrainian brigades escape encirclement, Pokrovsk front has big changes

By the time the Russians realized what was happening, it was too late! Two Ukrainian brigades had broken out of the Russian encirclement of the city of Pokrovsk.

Pokrovsk is no longer important! Ukrainian military experts believe that the role of this city in stopping the Russian offensive “has been completed”. Faced with a Russian Army (RFAF) that outnumbers it by several times, the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) should preserve their forces and seize the last opportunity to immediately withdraw from the twin cities of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad.

The Russian Ministry of Defense revealed that more than 5,000 Ukrainian troops are surrounded in the Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad regions. According to comprehensive information analysis, four combat brigades of the 7th AFU Army remain inside the Pokrovsk encirclement, but the exact number is unknown.

The four brigades of the 7th Ukrainian Army Corps include the 25th Airborne Brigade, the 79th Air Assault Brigade, the 155th Motorized Infantry Brigade, and the 68th Jäger Brigade. The 25th Airborne Brigade is in the most “precarious” position, located southeast of the Myrnohrad urban area, furthest from the gap in the encirclement, with almost no hope of withdrawal.

The 155th Brigade was located north of the city area of ​​Pokrovsk, and the 79th Air Assault Brigade was located south of Myrnohrad; these two brigades were approaching the convergence point, due to pressure from both the north and south of the Russian forces. The 68th Jäger Brigade was in the safest position, as it was closest to the gap in the encirclement.

Ukrainian public opinion is comparing the current situation in Pokrovsk with battles such as Bakhmut, Avadivka and Ugledar. The tactic of retreating through the "choke point" after the city was partially surrounded has repeatedly caused heavy losses for the Ukrainian army.

In recent days, Ukrainian media have once again made the argument that “people are more important than territory,” a statement that is often interpreted as a sign that the AFU is preparing to withdraw from the city. Ukrainian military expert Sergei Flesh published an article calling on the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, to order an immediate withdrawal from Pokrovsk.

Faced with unfavorable developments on many fronts, General Syrskyi took direct command of the front at the headquarters of the 7th Army in Slovyanka, not far west of Pokrovsk, personally directing the counteroffensive in Pokrovsk and the “Dobropolye salient.” Ukrainian media reported that General Syrskyi had gathered 20,000 reinforcements north of Pokrovsk, to create a “gap” between the Pokrovsk urban area and the town of Rodinske.

His aim was to turn the situation around the two cities of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad. At the very least, he wanted to help the thousands of Ukrainian troops trapped in the encirclement of these two cities escape safely. Fortunately, on the night of October 30, two Ukrainian brigades successfully escaped the encirclement of Pokrovsk.

Ukrainian media reported on the morning of October 31 that the remnants of the Ukrainian 32nd Motorized Infantry Brigade had successfully withdrawn from north of Pokrovsk and joined forces with the 68th Jäger Brigade, which had also escaped encirclement and deployed together at Shevchenko.

It was reported that the night retreat of two brigades (including the 32nd Motorized Infantry Brigade outside the encirclement area, north of Pokrovsk) met with almost no resistance from the Russians; by the time the Russians realized what was happening, it was too late.

Of particular note was the withdrawal of the 32nd Mechanized Brigade (which did not defend the city). This brigade made the decision to act on its own; after suffering heavy losses from the Russians, it withdrew without permission and without informing nearby units, leading directly to the encirclement of the 25th Airborne Brigade by the Russians. The remnants of the 32nd Brigade then withdrew westward until they successfully broke out on the evening of 30 October.

However, the failure of the hastily organized "rescue" operation to break the siege of Pokrovsk, organized by the head of the Ukrainian military intelligence Kyrylo Budanov, led to the collapse of the defenses at Myrnohrad. According to Ukrainian sources, the Myrnohrad garrison followed in the footsteps of Pokrovsk.

Rybar channel said that Ukrainian troops began to abandon their positions in Myrnohrad and tried to leave the city without waiting for the order to withdraw. Especially since the order would not be given. No one believed General Syrsky's promise to break the siege, especially when the situation was getting worse.

General Syrskyi himself appealed to the unit commanders, asking them to hold out for another week, after which reinforcements were supposed to arrive. But the AFU troops in Pokrovsk have lost patience. Currently, General Syrsky is withdrawing some units from the Sumy and Kharkov regions and redeploying them to Pokrovsk. However, there are doubts that this will be effective.

At this point, Ukraine was not just worried, but actually afraid that the troops fleeing Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad would lead to a collapse of the front in the Pokrovsk region, which would lead to the collapse of other regions. Kiev admitted that the front was currently very precarious, and any collapse could be the beginning of the end. If troops fled Pokrovsk, it could cause a chain reaction. (photo source: Military Review, Ukrinform, Kyiv Post).

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