Russian forces struggle with fatigue and manpower shortage as Ukraine shifts to active defense near Pokrovsk
Ukrainian soldiers near Pokrovsk (Photo: REUTERS/Inna Varenytsia)
Russian assaults on the Pokrovsk front (Donetsk Oblast) have decreased, while Ukrainian forces are counterattacking with some success, Khortytsia Operational and Strategic grouping spokesperson, Major Viktor Trehubov told Radio NV on March 6.
Віктор Трегубов
"This shift can be described as moving from passive to more active defense," Trehubov noted.
Not only have Russian attacks slowed down, but in some cases, they have resulted in Russian forces losing both territory and significant numbers of personnel and equipment.
These are signs of exhaustion among the occupiers.
The most significant development is that this exhaustion is occurring on the Pokrovsk front — the area where Russian forces have concentrated their greatest strength and efforts. This suggests that the more pressure they exerted, the more they overextended themselves. And now, they are voicing their frustrations the loudest.
"And these complaints are real," Trehubov stressed.
"They are complaining about everything — about the shortage of personnel, which is unusual for Russians, about Ukraine’s drones dominating the airspace, about the effectiveness of Ukrainian infantry, and about their glide bombs losing effectiveness. In short, the situation has become noticeably harder for them precisely where they committed the most troops."
While this trend is most visible on the Pokrovsk front, it is not as pronounced on other sectors of the frontline. However, Trehubov highlighted that Ukraine’s defense in Pokrovsk has been systematically reinforced, with well-coordinated drone and infantry operations yielding results.
"This is a cautious but clear sign that Russian forces are experiencing exhaustion," he concluded.
The key now is to expand this trend from the Pokrovsk direction to other areas under Ukraine’s responsibility — and ideally, across the entire frontline.
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