Russia advances in Myrnohrad and near Katerynivka — DeepState

The day before, the analysts reported that Russian troops had advanced in the area of Yampil in Donetsk Oblast, as well as near the settlement of Solodke in Zaporizhzhya Oblast.

On Dec. 5, the Air Assault Forces rejected Russian claims that they had encircled Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad.

Brigadier General Yevhen Lasiichuk, commander of the 7th Rapid Reaction Corps of the Air Assault Forces, said the notional line of contact in Pokrovsk runs “along the railway line,” and Ukrainian forces retain full control over the northern part of the city.

Lasiichuk said that Ukrainian units in the central part of Pokrovsk are preventing Russian forces from advancing.

Regarding the connection with Myrnohrad, Lasiichuk acknowledged that logistics have become more complicated but stressed that supply lines have not been lost.

“For a long time, the enemy tried to conduct frontal assaults on our forward positions, but achieved nothing," Lasiichuk said.

 "Now the enemy has chosen a different tactic — trying to cut our logistics. But there is no encirclement.”

He highlighted that Ukrainian forces are working to expand the logistical corridor. Lasiichuk added that the Armed Forces’ command has reinforced this sector with some of its best units.

The General Staff earlier rejected Bild’s claim that Pokrovsk had been fully captured.

At the same time, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that an “extremely difficult stage of the defense” of the Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad urban area is ongoing. Ukrainian forces in the Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad area are blocking Russian attempts to mass assault infantry groups and push forward by bypassing the towns.