Ukrainian troops open fire on Russian positions on 11 January 2025. Photo: Dmytro Smoliyenko / Zuma Press

The Ukrainian defence forces have achieved a tactical success in the Pokrovsk sector, liberating the village of Pishchane, three kilometres from Pokrovsk. This was reported on 16 February by the spokesperson for the Khortytsia operational and strategic group of troops (OSG), Viktor Tregubov, on the Kyiv TV channel.

“A number of counterattacks by Ukrainian forces were somewhat successful. In particular, we can already talk about the liberation of Pishchane village. Russian troops were also pushed back from some other nearby settlements,” he said.

According to the spokesperson, “a certain turning point” has taken place in the Pokrovsk sector. The Russian army had serious intentions of semi-circumscribing Pokrovsk, but suffered significant losses in January and was halted and even pushed back in some areas in February.

Earlier, the Khortytsia JFO noted that official reports on the success of Ukrainian forces would be provided only after the complete liberation of the settlements.