Russian army uses "carousel" tactics in Pokrovsk

The siege of Pokrovsk continued, but instead of trying to push forward, the Russian army adopted the "carousel" tactic, so what was this tactic?

After more than three years of fighting, the situation on the Russian-Ukrainian battlefield has changed significantly, with the Russian Armed Forces (RFAF) taking the initiative in the offensive, while the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) are on the defensive. According to a source from the Military Observer website on July 28, 2025, the RFAF successfully broke through the outer defense line of the city of Pokrovsk, far exceeding Kiev's expectations.

Currently, the RFAF is forming two large encirclements between Pokrovsk and Konstantinovka; organizing the encirclement of Pokrovsk from the west, east and northeast; creating a semicircular formation. The RFAF's advance on Pokrovsk is rapid, with reconnaissance and commando units breaking into the city center.

In the context of Pokrovsk's critical situation, but Kiev could not deploy significant reserve forces to this strategic city, because the RFAF was conducting a near-full-scale offensive on all fronts, so Kiev had no troops left to mobilize.

Russian media claim that the Pokrovsk region has long been a giant “trap” that is constantly swallowing the main forces of the AFU. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops near Pokrovsk are now in danger of being surrounded, and their links with the outside world are weakening. They can only receive supplies from Pavlograd in the northwest, but these routes are under attack by Russian troops.

The RFAF now uses a “carousel”-like tactic in Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad. Instead of an infantry charge, the RFAF uses “carousel” tactics, alternating artillery and armored vehicle attacks with glide bombing from the air. It is essentially a firepower attack, aimed at crushing the enemy with overwhelming firepower.

On the other hand, the AFU still put up a fierce resistance in the urban areas of Pokrovsk, but concentrated their forces mainly in the east of the city. However, the tactics they used were not very clever, simply turning high-rise buildings into fortifications, a tactic widely used in urban defense, but not effective. It was essentially a desperate fight.

The situation in Pokrovsk is very unfavorable for Ukraine. Urban warfare is often only a deterrent, not a turning point. Ukraine’s loss of Pokrovsk was predictable; it is now only a matter of time.

The question is whether the RFAF is about to deliver a decisive blow to Pokrovsk? It is too early to speculate on this. According to analysts, the RFAF’s Pokrovsk operation is just one link in the RFAF’s victory in eastern Ukraine. It does not affect the outcome of the war, much less force Ukraine to surrender.

According to military experts, it is important to understand that in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the collapse of the front is not the loss of a large area of territory, but the loss of key chokepoints, logistical disruptions and the collapse of the entire defense system.

Currently, the situation near Pokrovsk is similar to what happened during the RFAF's Avdiivka offensive in late 2023. After losing Avdiivka, the AFU had to continuously retreat to the west, creating conditions for the RFAF to develop an offensive position, opening up new operational space.

If you look at the Pentagon Liveuamap, towards the Pokrovsk front, you can clearly see that the southern flank of the AFU is being crushed, while the northern flank is being systematically overwhelmed. Meanwhile, behind Pokrovsk, the AFU no longer has a concentrated and solid line of defense, its troops are spread out, few in number, and unable to quickly close the gaps.

According to analysts, if the current pace of offensive operations is maintained, the Pokrovsk front may collapse within the next 3-6 weeks, unless AFU Commander-in-Chief General Syrsky continues to throw all of Kiev's last combat-ready reserve forces into Pokrovsk.

However, experts say that the RFAF should not be expected to launch a frontal attack on the city quickly, but that it would be enough for them to gain a foothold in the southern or northeastern districts of Pokrovsk, which would cut off Ukraine's supply lines, putting them in a real "meat grinder".

The RFAF is currently working to cut off the key supply route of the Ukrainian group in the Pokrovsk-Mirnograd area. RFAF Rubicon UAV units have concentrated their forces in the direction of Grishino, the main route for the AFU to supply the reserve forces and evacuate the wounded.

In case the Ukrainian defense groups in Mirnograd are also surrounded, the Russian army will form a so-called “cooker” for this defense cluster, the Ukrainian defense system will no longer be under control and resistance will be broken.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense , on July 29, the RFAF took control of the village of Novoukrainka, located south of Pokrovsk. Now, the Russian army has reached the M30 road leading south of the city. Currently, only the village of Chunyshyne remains ahead, from which the RFAF can advance into the city. (photo source: Military Review, Kyiv Post, Rvvoenkory).

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