The fighters of the 48th Separate Brigade defending Pokrovsk reached out to Syrskiy regarding the change of their commander.

The military published their statement on the official page of the 48th Separate Assault Brigade.

They shared that their battalion was formed 90% "thanks to the initiative and leadership qualities" of Islyamov.

Despite being an unformed unit, they were thrown into battle; however, over the 11 months of defending "one of the hottest fronts in the Donetsk region," they did not surrender a single position and repelled several attacks on populated areas.

“All of this became possible due to the experience, professionalism, and dedication of our commander. He built not just a battalion, but a team of like-minded individuals,” the soldiers speak about Islyamov.

According to them, ten days ago they were transferred to Pokrovsk without the necessary reconnaissance information, and the day before, the military learned that another person had been appointed as the commander of their battalion.

“We consider this decision unacceptable during an active phase of war. This way, you are simply destroying an effective combat unit that was ready to fight to the end for its commander,” the military asserts, calling the change of command “not only a breach of our trust but also a blow to our combat capability.”