ISW analysts reported how the occupiers are preparing for the breakthrough of Pokrovsk.

The occupiers tried to capture Pokrovsk, but the Ukrainian forces managed to prevent this. According to reports from the Institute for the Study of War, the Russian Federation has redeployed troops from the Kurakhiv direction to conduct operations to the south and southwest of the city. Furthermore, the Russian command has moved units to the south and southwest of Pokrovsk.

It is likely that the redeployment of troops is being carried out by Russia to change the priorities of tactical tasks in the Pokrovsk direction and create conditions for using more advantageous routes for advancing closer to the city.

Russian troops are also relocating personnel from the Kurakhiv direction closer to the city to the second unit of the 51st Combined Arms Army. Analysts believe that the Russian command is less focused on the offensive operation in the Kurakhiv direction, as they have already captured Kurakhive, and may likely concentrate their forces in the Pokrovsk direction.

Russian troops are likely to continue finding weak points in the Ukrainian defense on the flanks of Pokrovsk and use them to encircle the city.

However, the pace of advance of the Russian troops may be slow, as they cannot perform rapid mechanized maneuvers necessary to break through Ukrainian defensive lines and encircle Pokrovsk.

Information that Russian troops have moved to Pokrovsk has been denied by the Operational Command of Ukraine. They stated that fighting on the approaches to the city is still ongoing.