Relatively large advancement straight in the Pokrów direction ended a fewer weeks ago. At the time, it turned out that the forces of the Russian Army Group ‘Centrum’ (‘Cientr’) did not have the possible to strike in respective directions simultaneously, including straight on the communication node and an crucial coal agglomeration of Pokrowsk-Myrnohrad with the only coal coking mine in the country (its failure is an estimated two-fold decrease in Ukrainian steel production). For Russians, it was necessary, among others, to strike south-west on Selydov, Ukrainian, with the intention of going to Cukurine and Hirnyk in the south to safe the left flank of the impact. This time is reported to be utilized by Ukrainians to build fortifications and a daunting, circular defence of Pokrovsk.
