Ukraine takes 'effective measures' to stop Russian infiltration near Dobropillia, Pokrovsk, military says
Ukrainian forces are taking "effective measures" to halt Russia's advance in the Dobropillia and Pokrovsk sectors of Donetsk Oblast, the General Staff said on Aug. 12, describing the situation as "complex and dynamic."
The update follows claims from battlefield monitoring group DeepState that Russian troops pushed toward the Dobropillia–Kramatorsk highway, allegedly piercing Ukrainian defenses.
Earlier on Aug. 12, the military acknowledged that a small group of Russian troops bypassed Ukrainian positions near Dobropillia but rejected reports of a breakthrough.
The General Staff said more than 110,000 Russian troops are concentrated in the Pokrovsk area and are attempting to penetrate defenses by sending small infantry units between Ukrainian lines.
"Our units are engaged in heavy defensive battles against superior enemy forces," the statement reads, claiming that some infiltrating groups had already been destroyed.
The military added that Russian infantry groups "attempted to advance" in the village of Zolotyi Kolodiaz, where 44 residents live. The Russian military has also entered settlements including Vesele, Vilne, Rubizhne, and Kucheriv Yar, the statement added.
Military spokesperson Victor Tregubov earlier said such incursions typically involve five to ten soldiers and "look very different from how it appears on the map," emphasizing that no significant territory had been actually captured in the attack.
The Donetsk Operational-Tactical Group, the regional command formation responsible for operations in the area, accused Russia of inflating minor infiltration gains into an image of larger battlefield successes in its media.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
Russian forces are using human wave assaults supported by artillery and guided aerial bombs, Maksym Bakulin, spokesperson for the 14th National Guard Brigade, told Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne.
According to Bakulin, favorable weather has allowed Russian troops to hide in forested areas and move equipment forward, prompting Ukraine to intensify drone surveillance.
Pokrovsk, located about 70 kilometers (43 miles) northwest of Donetsk, remains one of the most fiercely contested sectors of the front, where Moscow has concentrated its main offensive efforts since March.
The fighting comes days before U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet in Alaska on Aug. 15, with the Kremlin seeking to improve its position ahead of potential peace talks.
Ukrainian brigades, weakened by manpower shortages, continue to face pressure in Donetsk Oblast, where evacuations remain dangerous amid repeated Russian attacks on civilians.
