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Today, there are important developments from the Pokrovsk direction.
Here, Russian forces are attempting to mount attacks from Pokrovsk to wear down the Ukrainian defenders in the next settlements. However, the Ukrainian command unexpectedly deployed Brazilian volunteers to push the Russians back in an intense counterattack, which shocked the enemy.
Currently, the Russians are focused on taking control of the surrounding area of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, having already captured the towns. This will ensure a safer accumulation of troops in the towns for the Russians, if they manage to push the Ukrainians further back, especially Ukrainian drone operators. The Russians have already begun moving artillery to the southern outskirts of the town, indicating that this area is now out of the range of standard Ukrainian drones. Additionally, the Russians created a kill zone within a twenty-kilometer radius of the center of Myrnohrad and are targeting anything that moves, which complicates Ukrainian activity in the area.
Through this, the Russians have accomplished their primary objective of cutting off this route by bringing it under fire control, which means that logistics to Hryshyne are significantly disrupted, leaving the defending units reliant on drone-dropped supplies. By taking Hryshyne under control, they could cut the logistics going into the northern outskirts of Myrnohrad and Rodynske, where Ukrainian defenders still hold positions despite fierce battles.
As a result, Russian infiltrations are increasingly being detected in the Novooleksandrivka area west of the village, showing that Russians occasionally slip through the Ukrainian defenses. The Russian plan is to advance from Hryshyne to Shylivka and beyond, following the highway to Pavlohrad. The Ukrainians must prevent the full capture of Hryshyne, because if the Russians break through, they could expand and destabilize the wider Pokrovsk axis, by using it as a stepping stone to assault westward.
Intense fighting is already underway around the village, and geolocated footage from the area shows how Ukrainian drone operators are stopping the Russians by constantly monitoring the village and striking them to reduce their manpower and deny them a stable foothold. On one occasion, two Russians attempted to shoot down the incoming FPV drones unsuccessfully, resulting in the death of one of them, while the other tried to hide in a destroyed building without success.
However, drone attrition isn’t always sufficient to clear entrenched positions, and the Ukrainian command decided to deploy a Leopard tank, which engaged a group of Russians on the outskirts of Hryshyne. The Russians were attempting to enter the settlement from the direction of Pokrovsk when they were spotted by a Ukrainian drone, so the Leopard tank advanced to a close firing position and used its main gun to open fire. During the operation, a Russian FPV drone was deployed against the tank and managed to strike it, showing the danger that Ukrainians must face because of the high enemy drone activity. Despite the hit, the crew completed their mission and withdrew successfully, and after the tank raid, two Ukrainian soldiers moved in and cleared a house where the remaining Russian troops had taken cover. One Ukrainian soldier provided cover with automatic fire into the building, while the other threw grenades. To minimize any risk, the Ukrainian command ordered a retreat, after which a heavy bomber drone dropped a shell at the enemy’s position, successfully destroying it.
To counter any further Russian attempts near Hryshyne and clear any potential survivors, Brazilian soldiers were deployed to support the operations of the Ukrainian forces, with the task of clearing positions and reinforcing the counteroffensive momentum. Geolocated footage captured by a drone shows how Brazilian soldiers are clearing a church and houses inside the settlement. They are using explosives to blow the entrance of the building and sustained small arms fire to suppress Russian positions. This tactic is based on their previous military experience from their native country and is used to cause injuries and chaos before entering the buildings, reducing the defender’s ability to resist. At the same time, the footage also showed how the Brazilians operated in small groups to shorten their exposure and avoid Russian drone strikes.
Overall, the deployment of Brazilians plays an important role in preventing a Russian breakthrough west of Pokrovsk by helping the Ukrainian forces to clear and hold Hryshyne, a critical gateway to the next settlements. Their skill and integration into assault units have disrupted Russian plans, leaving attacking enemy forces in shock…
