Russians stuck in urban battles for Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, offensive slowing down – military

This was stated by Spokesperson for the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group of Troops Viktor Trehubov during a TV broadcast, as reported by Ukrinform.

"There are signs that the pace of the offensive is slowing down, but this is related to several factors. First, on some fronts, the Russians are stuck in urban battles. If we talk about Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, the Russians are stuck in urban fighting, so it’s clear that they are not advancing quickly. Moreover, the Ukrainian forces are counterattacking. Second, a large number of Russians are now thrown into one single task – trying to encircle Pokrovsk. And there they are also stuck," Trehubov said.

Therefore, as the Spokesperson added, the number of combat engagements has generally decreased in recent days.

According to him, this means that the Russians are no longer trying to pressure the entire front line but are focusing on specific areas, particularly attempting to encircle Pokrovsk.

"Thus, yes, there are certain signs of slowing down. Does this make it easier? I wouldn’t say so, because we must understand that both sides are exhausted... and the intensity overall is decreasing. But at the same time, this is also a very difficult period of fighting. We must understand that even if there are fewer engagements, like yesterday, it doesn't mean that it’s easier," Trehubov stated.

He added that the invading forces are constantly attacking the same settlements, sometimes managing to seize control of certain buildings or even parts of villages. However, according to the Spokesperson, the Ukrainian forces are counterattacking in several directions.

Trehubov noted that if the Russians had intended to accomplish several tasks before the U.S. presidential elections, they failed to do so. Now, the enemy is unable to make rapid advances, despite having an advantage in infantry and certain successes on other fronts.

He stated that currently, the actions of the invading forces are not tied to any specific dates but are more related to attempts to conduct negotiations at the international level.

As reported by Ukrinform, on the previous day, February 1, 110 combat engagements between the Ukrainian Defense Forces and the Russian invaders were recorded on the front, with 40 occurring in the Pokrovsk sector.