Defenders retreated near Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, leveling the front – map

Ukrainian defenders have withdrawn to more favorable positions near Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad in Donetsk region. These was confirmed by the 7th Rapid Reaction Corps of the Airborne Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

"According to the decision of the command, the units of the Defense Forces carried out an organized maneuver near the settlements of Lysivka and Sukhyi Yar. The personnel were moved to more favorable positions," reads the statement on the situation in the Pokrovsk agglomeration as of 20:00 on December 8.

The corps added that the maneuver was carried out to save the lives of the military, improve the logistics of the group and to level the front line.

"For security reasons, information about the operation was not made public for some time to avoid the risk of disruption of its implementation," the publication explained.

The 7th Corps also reported that the situation in the area of Myrnohrad remains difficult, the defenders' units "continue to fulfill their assigned tasks and hold their lines."

"The enemy is actively shelling Myrnohrad with the help of UAVs. Thus, over the past week, the Russians dropped 21 aerial bombs on the city. The enemy is conducting intense assault operations, trying to penetrate and gain a foothold in the southeastern outskirts of the city. Defense forces are destroying enemy assault groups using all available means," the command said.

According to him, on December 7, in the area of Myrnohrad, the defenders killed 17 occupants: "Our military captured another enemy infantryman. He did not resist and was detained while trying to find food."

The Ukrainian analytical project Deepstate claims that Russians have occupied the aforementioned Lysivka and Sukhyi Yar, as well as Novopavlivka, Hnativka, and Rih. The researchers record the north of Pokrovsk in the gray zone (i.e., active hostilities are taking place there, and it is not known who exactly controls this territory – Ed.); Myrnohrad is also surrounded by a gray zone from the northwest.

• On December 4, the LIGA.net's interlocutors from the 38th Separate Marine Brigade said that Myrnohrad is now almost completely surrounded by Russian troops. The enemy is using a lot of guided aerial bombs, the situation in the extremely complex.