Russian Occupiers’ Strategy in Pokrovsk District: Infiltration, Sabotage, and Ukrainian Countermeasures
In the Pokrovsk area, Russian forces are actively implementing tactics centered around infiltration.
According to the Seventh Corps of Ukraine’s State Emergency Service, the enemy is seeking not only to advance or shell positions but also to skillfully penetrate Ukrainian defenses through small groups aiming to block logistical routes and sow instability.
This approach involves deep covert operations similar to covert sabotage units, leveraging their experience and traditional tactics that enable them to break through defenses with small, targeted groups.
Last week, an enemy infiltration attempt was successfully carried out, but Ukrainian troops managed to neutralize the hostile group near one of the regional settlements, which forms part of the region’s complex logistics network.
The Russian military constantly conducts reconnaissance using numerous drones—up to 600 unmanned aerial vehicles of various types daily—gathering crucial tactical intelligence and adjusting their actions accordingly.
Ukrainian defenders respond with their own comprehensive arsenal, including landmines, fire support groups, and the use of drones and strike wings to preemptively target enemy positions.
“We have learned to understand the enemy’s tactics and actively counter them.
We make extensive use of all available means—remotely mined paths, deploying fire groups, and creating additional engineering barriers,” said the 7th Corps of the Ukrainian Assault Forces.
Their primary goal is not only to halt the enemy’s advance but also to ensure the safety of Ukrainian soldiers by destroying enemy drones with their own aerial and ground-based countermeasures.
“Our actions are aimed not just at halting the enemy but also at preserving the lives of our defenders.
We operate in close cooperation with command and respond swiftly to any threats,” they emphasize.
Reports indicate that Russia is also forming ‘infected’ units—dispersed sabotage and reconnaissance groups—similar to Wagner units, spotted near Pokrovsk.
These formations raise concerns among Ukrainian military analysts.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces continue their counteroffensive operations in the Donetsk region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukrainian troops managed to regain control over more than 330 square kilometers in the Donetsk districts of Dobropillia and Pokrovsk.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi confirmed that Ukrainian forces advanced 3 to 7 kilometers into the enemy’s defenses, consolidating their positions and strengthening strategic footholds.