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Russian Forces Retreat From Western Outskirts of Pokrovsk, Ukrainian Military Reports
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![Ivan_khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Russian troops are gradually retreating from the western outskirts of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, according to Ukraine’s Operational-Strategic Group “Khortytsia,” on April 21.
The development follows unsuccessful attempts by Russian forces to cut off a key supply route from Pavlohrad in the Dnipropetrovsk region to Pokrovsk.
Speaking on national television, group spokesperson Viktor Trehubov stated that the Russian military had been attempting to advance in the area since late February or early March, aiming to sever logistical lines.
However, their offensive failed after Ukrainian forces regained control of the village of Kotlyne, which Trehubov described as a turning point.
“Russian forces are now slowly withdrawing from the western outskirts toward the southern parts of the city, where their offensive originally began,” he said.
Trehubov also addressed the status of combat operations during the Easter period. He noted a temporary reduction in fighting intensity, with the number of clashes decreasing two to threefold. However, he cautioned against interpreting this as a ceasefire.
“If there were around 80 engagements and now there are 30, this looks more like a pause for regrouping rather than a genuine de-escalation,” he said. “Russian forces continue to rotate units and amass troops, particularly in the Kupiansk and Kharkiv directions.”
According to the Ukrainian military, Russian activity near Pokrovsk remains among the most intense on the eastern front, despite the tactical setbacks.
Earlier, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Ukrainian forces had liberated 16 square kilometers near Pokrovsk, including areas around Udachne, Kotlyne, and Shevchenko.
He noted that troops were repelling up to 30 Russian assaults daily in this direction, as Moscow continues its attempts to advance toward the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
