Captured Russian soldiers reveal manpower crisis in Russian armed forces amid ongoing battles in Donetsk region
Ukrainian forces have captured a new group of Russian prisoners near Maksymivka, located between Kurakhove and Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk region, according to a report by Ukrainian military journalist Andriy Tsaplienko.
In the video, the POWs introduce themselves and provide personal information, including their places of origin. "It's simple, there seems to be no one left to send forward—they're scraping together whoever they can," said one of the captured soldiers on video. He further mentioned commanders threatened transfers to the 36th or 57th Motorized Rifle Brigades where "troops were wiped out for refusing to storm." "The rest were already casualty figures," he noted.
On the Pokrovsk frontline, after Russians forces entered Novovasylivka, they quickly maneuvered north, bypassing Ukrainian defenses to the west of the Solena River, reportedly exploiting flanks and rear of Ukrainian defenders, a Ukrainian soldier codenamed "Muck" revealed.
"Russian troops managed to reach the vicinity of Volkove. The situation deteriorates as we can't establish new positions; enemy FPV drones are active, and mortar preparations are underway to prevent our forces from establishing defenses," reads the report.
Battles persist in the regions of Peschane and Novyi Trud, with predictions of control changing soon. Additionally, Russian maneuvers east of Zelene are worsening conditions in Dachen. The Lisova-Sukhyi Yar frontage holds without changes for now," the report states.
"Our defenders on the Pokrovsk direction have repelled 48 assaults in areas around settlements including Myrolubivka, Luch, LYsivka, Dachen, Zelene, Novovasylivka, Mlechne, and Novooleivka, where Russians, aided by aviation, attempted to dislodge our units," according to the Ukrainian General Staff's update . On the Kurakhove axis, the Ukrainian Forces repelled 25 attacks near Solntsivka, Stari Terny, Kurakhove, and Dachne, where adversaries tried breaking through our defensive lines.
Russian president Vladimir Putin claimed that the Russian Armed Forces are progressing towards ending the so-called "Special Military Operation" and expelling Ukrainian forces from the Kursk region.