Reporting From Ukraine:https://www.youtube.com/@RFU/videosExcerpts from the video transcript:
Offensive Collapsed! Russian Operation Suffers a Complete Meltdown!
Today [ Apr 30, 8 pm ], there is interesting news from the Pokrovsk direction. Here, Ukrainian counterattacks pushed the Russians out of several key positions, endangering their whole operation to encircle Pokrovsk. As a result, the Russians were forced to completely abandon their attempts to take the town, started retreating, and changed their goal to achieve political victory, without any strategic value instead ... Ukrainian forces first managed to halt the Russian advance westward, and then began a series of aggressive counterattacks to reclaim key positions ... One of the first major blows was dealt at Kotlyne, where Ukrainians executed rapid attacks to disrupt the Russian presence in the village and its surrounding industrial zone. They successfully isolated Russian troops holding these areas, forcing them to abandon positions under relentless Ukrainian drone strikes and artillery harassment ...
The breakthrough at Kotlyne allowed Ukrainian forces to expand their operations under the new command of General Major Mykhailo Drapatyi, who had previously orchestrated successes during the Kharkiv and Kherson counteroffensives ... Ukrainians made it nearly impossible for Russian units to receive reinforcements, food, or even water, as Russian troops resorted to using horses and donkeys to deliver basic supplies ... Ukraine pushed forward and retook critical positions around Uspenivka, Udachne, Pischane, Shevchenko, Dachenske, and Lysivka, driving Russian forces back from the outskirts of Pokrovsk ... intelligence reports indicate that Russian commanders have now completely abandoned serious offensive assaults on the Western flank of Pokrovsk ...
Nevertheless, the massive reduction in assaults reflects the severe attrition Russian forces have suffered without achieving their primary objective at all. Facing mounting casualties and dwindling reserves, Russia has now shifted its focus southward. Their new goal appears twofold. Firstly, to broaden their western pincer by advancing through the open fields south of Pokrovsk, Russians hope to secure better logistics and staging grounds. Secondly, Russians aim to achieve a symbolic advance toward the border of the Dnipro region, framing it as a political victory in the information war ... Comparing Russia’s initial ambitions to its current objectives highlights the scale of their failure. Initially aiming to sever Pokrovsk and score a major operational victory, they are now scrambling to gain marginal ground over open terrain that offers little immediate advantage ...
Even if they achieve minor gains in the south, their ability to mount another serious push toward Pokrovsk is highly questionable given their depleted strength. Overall, the Russian attempt to encircle Pakovsk has collapsed under the weight of effective Ukrainian counterattacks and relentless pressure. They are now forced to abandon their grandiose plans. Russian forces now chase much less ambitious objectives, capturing largely empty fields, without any strategic value. Ukraine's tenacity and tactical ingenuity around Pakovsk have not only blunted a key Russian offensive, but have forced the Russian command into a reactive weakened posture that could have long-term consequences for their wider campaign plans in Donetsk.
