“During active offensive actions, units of the Southern Group of Forces completely liberated the city of Kurachov, the most important village in the southwestern part of Donbass,” the Russian Ministry of Defense said according to the TASS agency.
The Ukrainian General Staff only announced that at Kurach’s Ukrainian units repelled 27 Russian attacks, some of which were directly on the city, the rest on the surrounding villages. Another 51 attacks were carried out by the Russians directly on the access roads to Pokrovsk, Ukrainska Pravda quoted from a witness of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The occupation of Kurachov consolidated the positions of Russian forces in the south of the Donetsk region, between the already conquered Vuhledar and Pokrovsk, which is the main objective of the autumn Russian offensive. However, there is no direct threat to Pokrovsk after the conquest of Kurachov. But his fall improves the position of Russian forces south and southwest of Pokrovsk.
Hard fighting for Pokrovsk. The Russians are trying to surround him
War in Ukraine
In recent days, the Russians have renewed their attacks on the access roads to Pokrovsk. They attack not only south of the city near Selydova, when they concentrate on Jelyzavetivka, but also east of the city through Myrnohrad and Novooleksandrivka.
Geolocated images from January 1 confirm that the Russians captured the village of Vozdvyzhenka east of Pokrovsk, and then Svyrydonivka and Tymofijivka on January 5. This is shown by footage on the Slivochnyi kapriz Telegram channel.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, the Russians are trying to advance to Pokrovsk, but mainly to surround it, so that they can then attack it from several directions. Progress through the small villages south of Pokrovsk is easier than through the towns east of it
The Russians are intensively attacking on the flanks in the direction of Pokrovsk
War in Ukraine
