If Ukraine cannot hold Pokrovsk, the Russians will gain the advantage and be able to deploy additional UAV crews to that sector.

Axar.az reports that this was stated by Dmytro Zmailo, executive director of Ukraine’s Center for Security and Cooperation.

He said the situation in eastern Ukraine, particularly in Myrnohrad and Pokrovsk, remains difficult, but Ukrainian Defence Forces still hold key positions:

“But if we do not do everything possible in this sector now, then the Russians will truly gain superiority. If they seize all of Pokrovsk, they will bring additional UAV teams into this sector and from the north-west direction to complicate the defence and terrorize the eastern part of Dnipropetrovsk region. That is why elite units — including forces from the Main Intelligence Directorate and the Special Operations Forces — have been sent to the city. If the Russians take Pokrovsk, it will substantially change the situation on the front.”