Ukrainian Paratroopers Crush Russian Forces Near Pokrovsk – Hundreds Eliminated

Ukrainian paratroopers have recaptured the village of Kotlyne near Pokrovsk, eliminating and wounding hundreds of Russian soldiers in a decisive assault operation according to a report by the Airborne Assault Forces.

In a Wednesday Telegram post, the Airborne Assault Forces, stated that the settlement was strategically important, as its capture would have allowed Russian troops to advance toward the Pokrovsk-Dnipro highway. Recognizing this, Moscow once deployed significant forces to seize the village.

However, paratroopers from the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade, along with supporting units, reported they prevented Russian forces from securing a foothold in Kotlyne and ultimately pushed them beyond its borders.

The successful assault was made possible through extensive artillery support, first-person view (FPV) drones, and precision ammunition drops from drones.

During the preparatory phase of the operation alone, the 25th Brigade eliminated 275 Russian soldiers and wounded 203 others – roughly the equivalent of two companies, the report says.

Serhiy Okishev, spokesperson for the 25th Brigade, said that in January, Russian troops from the 130th, 15th, and 1st Slavic Brigades had breached Ukrainian defensive lines and occupied Kotlyne.

“After that, the enemy sought to advance toward the Pokrovsk-Dnipro highway, amassing additional forces. This could have significantly disrupted logistical support across the entire Pokrovsk front,” Okishev said.

Other Topics of Interest

Americans Protest at US Embassy in Kyiv – What’s Behind the Demonstration?

Many of the protesters held signs that condemned Russia as an enemy of the US and questioned why the US had turned its back on Ukraine.

To prevent this, one of the battalions of the 25th Brigade was tasked with retaking the village and securing a defensive position on new frontiers.

The battalion commander, Serhiy Gera, stated that his unit began preparations on Jan. 29, carefully studying the enemy’s movements, reconnaissance tactics, and defensive measures. Their goal was to close in on Russian forces from the rear, cutting off all possible escape routes and preventing them from establishing strongholds.

According to Gera, the operation was carried out in four stages:

• Stabilization: Gaining control of the situation.
• Maximum attrition: Inflicting as many casualties as possible on Russian forces within Kotlyne, where up to 100 Russian servicemen were stationed.
• Encirclement: Cutting off all approaches to the settlement.
• Liberation: Securing full control of Kotlyne.

One assault group was positioned south of Kotlyne and was tasked with entering the village on foot. The second assault group was to advance using BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles.

Company commander Vitaly Sid disclosed the strategy: “We drove in using armored vehicles because a sudden entry followed by an immediate infantry deployment would catch the enemy off guard. One of the groups was hit by a mine, but there were no losses—only minor shrapnel injuries.”

Despite these injuries, the soldiers refused evacuation, Sid added.

Sid said that Russian commanders showed little regard for their troops. Gera added that captured Russian prisoners reported low morale, saying: “They were abandoned. They thought their comrades were behind them, but it turned out to be us.”

Sid further said that many Russian POWs expressed a desire to stay with Ukrainian forces rather than return to their own ranks.

Ukrainian paratroopers reported that Russian troops have struggled with supplies and ammunition, as Ukrainian drones monitor all logistical routes. The freezing temperatures have also worsened their situation.

For the first few weeks, Ukrainian forces launched attacks on Russian positions every two to three hours.

Currently, Ukrainian forces are preventing Russian troops from approaching Kotlyne, destroying enemy movements on the outskirts.

“As of now, Kotlyne is securely under the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” Gera said, without specifying the date of capture.

According to a Feb. 16 British intelligence report, Ukrainian forces have been counterattacking near Kotlyne on the T-04-06 highway and at Pischane, both of which remain fiercely contested.

Russia continues its attempts to encircle Pokrovsk and cut off Ukrainian supply lines along the front, making the area a key focus of its offensive efforts. This has resulted in high Russian casualty rates.

On Jan. 13, Kyiv Post reported that Russian troops had advanced near eight settlements in Ukraine’s Donetsk region between Jan. 11 and 12, based on data from the open-source battlefield map Deep State.

According to the report, Russian forces captured positions across the T-04-06 country road, approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of Pokrovsk, but did not reach Kotlyne itself.

On Feb. 11, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Khortytsia Group of Forces stated that Russian losses in the Pokrovsk sector in January 2025 totaled 7,000 killed and 15,000 wounded or missing.