Russian losses near Pokrovsk surpass Soviet casualties in Afghanistan – military spox

That is according to Major Viktor Trehubov, Spokesperson for the Khortytsia Operational-Strategic Grouping of Troops, Ukrinform reports citing ArmyInform.

Trehubov stated that Pokrovsk is critical for Russian plans to advance in southern Donetsk region. As a result, they have concentrated maximum efforts on this front.

"However, it is precisely near Pokrovsk that clear signs have begun to emerge that the Russians are starting to exhaust themselves. Capturing Pokrovsk is the main objective of this stage of the enemy's campaign," said Trehubov, adding that the Russians are trying to encircle the town from the west and break through from the east.

"Despite their significant advantage in manpower, the Russians have lost momentum. This is the very impulse that allows them to push forward. First of all, it is impossible to maintain such pressure continuously — they are also wearing out. Secondly, the Ukrainians have managed to build an effective defense based on the coordination of infantry and drones. The Russians have encountered resistance they did not expect," Trehubov explained.

Russian losses in manpower and equipment have reached extreme levels, the Spokesperson stressed.

"They are losing a record number of armored vehicles. They have even started losing multiple rocket launch systems (MRLS). This means they are being hit quite deeply. And their losses in manpower are also very high: 7,000 killed and total losses of 14-15,000. This is in one month, and this is only the Pokrovsk direction. Under Pokrovsk alone, the Russians bury more soldiers in Pokrovsk in a month than the USSR did in Afghanistan over several years," summarized Trehubov.

As reported, Russia has been forced to minimize the use of armored vehicles in the Pokrovsk sector because Ukrainian forces detect and destroy them as soon as they appear on the battlefield.