Russian forces massing on southern outskirts of Myrnohrad – military

Russian troops are concentrating personnel and equipment on the southern outskirts of Myrnohrad in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.

According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, citing Volodymyr Polevyi, head of communications for the 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces, Russian forces are using residential areas as cover.

"Russian troops are pulling resources toward the southern outskirts of Myrnohrad in the Donetsk region, using residential areas as natural shelter," Polevyi said.

He noted that the enemy currently has an advantage within the urban areas of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, as dense housing provides effective concealment.

Polevyi explained that striking targets there is complicated by the urban landscape, which hinders the operation of standard tactical FPV drones (as opposed to longer-range middle-strike UAVs with a range of up to 100 km).

"The high-rise buildings of Myrnohrad and Pokrovsk are like mountains or a forest standing in front of Russian logistics, shielding their radio horizon," he said.

Attempts to see beyond these buildings using relay drones or reconnaissance assets are countered by active Russian air defenses. Even newer fiber-optic drones lose effectiveness in urban environments, as cables can snag, bend, or break on sharp building edges.

Despite these technological challenges, Polevyi stressed that southern Myrnohrad is not a complete "blind zone." Strikes are still being carried out, but the complexity of urban terrain and current command priorities make this one of the most difficult areas for drone operations.

As reported, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said on April 15 that Russian forces have intensified offensive operations along nearly the entire frontline, while Ukrainian forces continue active defense and regained control of nearly 50 square kilometers of territory in March.

Illustrative photo: ArmyInform