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Retreating from their military positions in the Kursk region, on southern and northern Donbass frontlines, the Armed Forces of Ukraine accumulated large forces and attempt counterattacks in the Pokrovsk direction.
The front south and east of Pokrovsk has remained relatively stable over the past few weeks. After a number of unsuccessful attacks aimed to take back control of Peschanoe and Kotlino in the middle of February, the Ukrainian military took a pause to regroup, reducing the intensity of attacks.
In recent days, Ukrainian attempts to counterattacks resumed in different directions along the front. According to the reports from the battlefield, on March 5th, Ukrainian forces attempted a series of large counterattacks near the village of Shevchenko. This settlement is of strategic importance for the Kiev regime, because there is one of the largest lithium deposits in Europe, which the Ukrainian leadership sold to its foreign patrons.
The Ukrainian military attempted assault on Shevchenko by forces of several hundred servicemen on armored vehicles supplied by NATO. Ukrainian military column was spotted leaving the village of Belgiyka located to the north, where it came under heavy Russian fire. Most of Ukrainian vehicles were stopped on the outskirts, but some managed to land the assault forces, which tried to gain a foothold on the northern outskirts of Shevchenko and wait for reinforcement to come.
According to the latest reports from the battlefield, Ukrainian forces failed to gain a foothold on the northern outskirts, and Ukrainian assault groups attempt counterattacks on the eastern outskirts. According to unconfirmed reports, battles are ongoing near the local Cultural Center in the center of the village.
Russian drone strikes:
The Armed Forces of Ukraine also attempt counterattacks in Peschanoe located to the west of Shevchenko. Ukrainian assault groups attempted attacks in the industrial zone, but it was destroyed by prolonged battles. Some clashes were reported on the streets.
The footage shows fighters of the Russian Center group of forces mopping up the buildings with Ukrainian soldiers, taking prisoners:
Taking into account the ongoing counterattacks, the Ukrainian military is aimed at cutting off Russian ledge south of Pokrovsk. Together with their attacks in Shevchenko and Peschanoe, Ukrainian forces attempt counterattacks near Uspenovka. According to unconfirmed reports, Russian forces were repelled from the village, but according to some Russian and Ukrainian military reporters, battles continue in Udachnoe and Uspenovka.
The goal of the Ukrainian military is likely to break through Russian defense and approach th etown of Novotroitskoe from the northern and western directions to cut off Russian forces that are fighting near Kotlino.
Russian soldier attacked Ukrainian position:
In their turn, Russian troops continue counterattacks in an attempt to advance to Novosergeyevka. Russian forces are launching persistent attacks in the fields between Novoaleksandrovka and Nadezhdinka. Russian control of Novosergeyevka and the bridge there would neutralize the threat of the Ukrainian breakthrough to Novotroitskoe from the west. At the same time, Russian assaults are pressing Ukrainian defense in order to advance to Kotlyarovka, where the Ukrainian military has a large group of UAV operators in the village.
Strikes of Russian upgraded FAB-500 heavy bombs on Ukrainian military positions:
At the cost of heavy losses, Ukrainian forces have achieved some limited results in several areas, which they have yet to consolidate under constant attacks from Russian artillery and FPV drones. However, reports from the frontlines indicated that the Ukrainian command has accumulated large forces to continue constant counterattacks south of Pokrovsk.
One of the main problems of the Russian grouping in this direction is reportedly the large number of Ukrainian drone strikes, which increased after the deployment of Ukrainian reserve units and which threaten military supplies and communication between the different units in the area.
From the military point of view, Ukrainian counteroffensive in the Pokrovsk direction is aimed at preventing the encirclement and destruction of the Ukrainian grouping in the Pokrovsk-Mirnograd agglomeration and further Russian breakthrough in the Dnepropetrovsk region. Ukrainian counterattacks are also of great political importance. In the case of success, despite heavy losses, they may allow Kiev to present at least some victories to its foreign patrons, amid the upcoming disaster of the Ukrainian adventure in the Kursk region.
