Zelensky prioritizes Donbas town defense, deploys special forces.

2 days ago7 min read

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made the defense of the Donbas town of Pokrovsk an immediate strategic priority, with BBC military sources confirming the deployment of specialized military intelligence and special forces units to secure critical supply lines into the embattled area. This decisive move comes as Russian forces intensify their offensive operations across the eastern front, aiming to capitalize on recent territorial gains and sever Ukrainian logistical corridors that serve as the lifeline for troops defending the industrial heartland.The situation in Pokrovsk, a key logistical hub northwest of the fiercely contested cities of Avdiivka and Bakhmut, has grown increasingly precarious in recent weeks, with Russian artillery and aerial bombardments systematically targeting road and rail networks in a clear attempt to isolate Ukrainian positions. The commitment of elite special forces—units typically reserved for deep reconnaissance, sabotage, and high-risk direct action missions—to a rear-area security role underscores the severity of the threat to Pokrovsk and Zelensky’s personal directive to hold the line at all costs.Military analysts interpret this as a defensive-in-depth strategy, where these highly trained operators are not merely guarding convoys but are actively conducting counter-reconnaissance, hunting Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups, and ensuring that ammunition, fuel, and reinforcements can flow uninterrupted to the forward-most trenches. The fall of Pokrovsk would represent a catastrophic strategic setback for Ukraine, effectively unhinging their main defensive line in the sector and opening a direct pathway for Russian advances toward major urban centers like Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.This development must be viewed within the broader context of delayed Western military aid, particularly the protracted congressional holdup of a crucial U. S.assistance package that has left Ukrainian artillery units rationing shells and air defense systems critically low on interceptors. The Russian military command, aware of this window of vulnerability, appears to be launching a concerted push to achieve a decisive breakthrough before new Western supplies can reach the front, making the battle for Pokrovsk a potential turning point in the war's trajectory.The town itself has transformed from a relatively quiet administrative center into a fortified strongpoint, its streets now choked with military traffic and its remaining civilians living under the constant threat of glide bomb attacks and long-range missile strikes. The deployment signals a shift from reactive to proactive defense, a necessary evolution as Ukraine seeks to stabilize the front after a difficult months-long fighting withdrawal.The success or failure of this operation will hinge on the ability of these special forces to operate with impunity in the grey zone behind the main line of contact, neutralizing threats before they can disrupt the fragile supply chain. For the weary infantry brigades holding the line further east, the knowledge that their route of retreat and resupply is being secured by the country’s best fighters provides a vital morale boost.However, the use of such valuable assets for this task also carries significant risk, exposing them to attrition in a brutal battle of attrition where Russia holds a substantial advantage in manpower and materiel. The coming days will be decisive, as the defense of Pokrovsk becomes the focal point of the entire Donbas campaign, a test of Ukraine’s resilience and strategic ingenuity against an adversary determined to grind them down through sheer mass.

#lead focus news

#Ukraine

#Donbas

#Pokrovsk

#military intelligence

#special forces

#supply lines

#defense

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