Ukrainian special ops are storming the city on helicopters and clearing Russian positions

Today, there are important updates from the Pokrovsk direction.

Here, the Ukrainian command has declared that the Russians will not pass at Pokrovsk, holding the line in the north and protecting Myrnohrad from encirclement. To achieve this and secure the supply routes that keep the defense in the two towns active, the Ukrainian special forces launched a surprising helicopter raid with a goal broader than it seems on the surface.

The Russians managed to gain a partial foothold in the southern districts of Pokrovsk and put the rest of the town in the grey zone. The Ukrainians adapted their tactical objective and now aim to keep the northern part of Pokrovsk from falling.

The idea is to preserve a functioning logistics artery towards Myrnohrad, so that supplies, reinforcements, and evacuations can continue. Ukrainian drone operators carry a heavy weight for making this possible, and geolocated footage shows the destruction of a Russian group in the northern sector of Pokrovsk, demonstrating that Ukrainian drone forces maintain effective fire control and are striking with precision even in the chaos of street combat.

The defense of Pokrovsk is now not about holding every street indefinitely but about ensuring that the corridor towards Myrnohrad stays open, preventing Russian infiltration teams from spreading toward Myrnohrad. The Ukrainian command has made it clear that holding Pokrovsk, though symbolically important, is not the end goal. The priority is to keep the connection alive, deny the Russians a complete encirclement, and preserve the ability to move troops and material through the northern fields.

So far, no official withdrawal has been announced from either of the two towns, as Ukrainian units remain active, counterattacking where possible and rotating to stabilize the line. This is part of a larger operation to hold several flanks stable, and if Ukrainians succeed in clearing the Russians from the northern flank near Dobropillia, Myrnohrad will remain a fortress with much more stable supply lines. However, Ukrainian commanders are aware that if the situation deteriorates, a phased withdrawal may be necessary, but for now, they exploit every opportunity to inflict losses and slow down Russian advances.

The reason for the operational shift to Myrnohrad is that Pokrovsk itself is vulnerable, as it is easily accessible from the south through smaller settlements like Zvirove, where Russian infiltration groups exploit the terrain and ruins to enter the outskirts. This makes it nearly impossible to maintain an unbroken security perimeter and cut Russians off, even with drones operating around the clock.

Myrnohrad, on the other hand, sits in open terrain surrounded by fields, offering clearer observation lines and fewer hiding places for Russian infantry. Despite repeated Russian assaults, the town remains unbreached, the result of careful defensive planning and continuous adaptation.

As you may have seen, to stabilize Pokrovsk’s northern sector, the Ukrainians launched a daring operation that stunned both analysts and the enemy, but the goal was much larger. Special operators from Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence conducted a landing directly inside the combat zone using Black Hawk helicopters. The goal was to open and secure a ground corridor for reinforcements and establish a stronger defensive perimeter in the north.

Footage released later showed elements of the “Timur” special unit landing under fire, coordinating with drone and electronic warfare teams, and engaging Russian forces immediately upon arrival. Despite Russian air defense attempts, the helicopters successfully inserted and extracted without losses, a fact even Russian sources reluctantly acknowledged.

After the black hawk operation secured an entryway into Pokrovsk, more special forces joined via the secured route, and within hours, the Ukrainian side regained control of several key blocks, with at least 85 Russian troops reported eliminated.

Follow-up footage showed members of Ukraine’s 3rd Special Forces Regiment conducting close-quarters clearing operations, reconnaissance, and defensive coordination to prevent Russian fire control from expanding. The entire operation was supervised by General Kyrylo Budanov and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, underscoring its importance for the Ukrainian defense.

Overall, the Ukrainian tactic at Pokrovsk has evolved from static holding to flexible, layered adaptation. The priority now is to keep the Russians from capturing the northern half of the city and protect the logistical lifeline to Myrnohrad. The situation remains critical, but the successful airborne insertion has given the defenders fresh momentum. As the Russian command throws more reserves into the fight, Ukraine is reinforcing its own lines to prevent a breakthrough. Pokrovsk may remain a town in the grey zone, but the defense of Myrnohrad depends on it staying alive, even as a contested fortress on the frontline.