Elite Azov Corps deployed to Pokrovsk sector amid Russian advances in Donetsk Oblast
The 1st Azov Corps of the National Guard has taken up defensive positions in the Pokrovsk sector in order to block attacking Russian forces, the unit reported on Aug. 12.
Pokrovsk, a front-line town in Donetsk Oblast, has for months been one of the most heavily contested battlegrounds of Russia's offensive in eastern Ukraine.
Azov said its forces arrived in the area "several days" ago. The unit described the situation along the Pokrovsk axis as "complex and dynamic," with Russian troops attempting to advance while reportedly suffering losses in both personnel and equipment.
Azov units have already implemented measures to block Russian forces in the area, and the results will be reported later, the statement read.
The news comes as Russian forces made a push toward the Dobropillia–Kramatorsk highway in Donetsk Oblast, reportedly piercing Ukrainian defenses and seizing positions in nearby settlements to support further offensive operations.
Dobropillia lies 94 kilometers (58 miles) northwest of Russian-occupied Donetsk, and about 22 kilometers (14 miles) north of embattled Pokrovsk.
Ukrainain brigades, severely understrength in infantry, are battling to hold the line against Russian advances in Donetsk Oblast, even as Russian forces have seemingly learned to target weak points in the Ukrainian defense.
Civilian evacuations from contested or occupied areas remain extremely dangerous, with Russian forces repeatedly accused of targeting non-combatants.
The 1st Azov Corps was formed earlier this year as part of a broader reform toward a new corps system.
The unit takes its name from the Azov Brigade, a unit that traces its roots to the start of Russian aggression in 2014 and whose fighters took part in some of the heaviest battles of the war, including the Russian siege of Mariupol in 2022.
