Battles in the front-line city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast is "exceptionally tough," requiring Ukraine's military leadership to make "non-standard decisions," Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Dec. 11.
Previously on Dec. 11, military spokesperson Nazar Voloshyn confirmed that Russian forces had destroyed two Ukrainian positions near Pokrovsk.
Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub for Ukrainian forces in the east, has seen heavy fighting in recent months as Russian forces continue their relentless advance in Donetsk Oblast.
Syrskyi's comments followed a visit to the 38th Separate Marine Brigade, operating on the front lines in the Pokrovsk sector.
"We have to make non-standard decisions to increase the resilience of the defense and more effectively destroy the occupiers," he said in a Facebook post Dec. 11.
"The battles are of an exceptionally tough nature."
The Ukrainian military also confirmed on Dec. 11 that Russia had gained ground in Pokrovsk. Speaking in a televised broadcast, Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the Khortytsia group of forces, said that Russian troops had destroyed two Ukrainian positions in the area.
"As a result of prolonged clashes, two of our positions were destroyed, one was lost," Voloshyn said.
"Currently, measures are being taken to restore positions."
According to Syrskyi, the Ukrainian military is at a disadvantage, especially in terms of manpower. Russian troops outnumber Ukrainian units and "are throwing all available forces forward."
Syrskyi did not say what kinds of unconventional decisions would be required in the coming days, but said a priority was to deliver sufficient quantities of ammunition to the front line. He also said he responded to "existing problems" by issuing "appropriate orders."
Russian forces are now only 3 kilometers (1.5 miles) from Pokrovsk, according to the crowd-sourced monitoring website Deep State.
Observers and the Ukrainian military have previously warned of an increasingly difficult situation in Pokrovsk as Russian forces push forward. Syrskyi ordered additional reserves and weapons to Pokrovsk on Nov. 29 in an effort to stall Russia's assault.
Russia's grinding advance in eastern Ukraine continues to gain momentum at the cost of heavy personnel losses.
Francis Farrell
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