Ukrainian forces have driven Russian troops out of the village of Kotlino near Pokrovsk.

The Ukrainian military has taken control of the village of Kotlino in the Pokrovsk direction.

This was reported by the 25th Separate Airborne Assault Sicheslav Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The brigade explained that capturing Kotlino would have allowed the occupiers to access the Pokrovsk – Dnipro highway, which is why significant forces were deployed by the Russians to seize it. This could have severely impacted the logistical support for the entire Pokrovsk direction.

As Battalion Commander Sergey Hera shared, his soldiers began operations in this direction on January 29. The operation was planned in four phases: stabilize the situation, inflict maximum damage on the occupiers, cut off all approaches to the village, and take control of it.

One assault group approached on foot, while the second advanced using vehicles.

“One of the incoming groups hit a mine. Thank God, there were no casualties, just some light concussions and minor shrapnel wounds. However, these guys refused evacuation; they unloaded their gear. They advanced: contact, contact, contact, prisoner, contact, prisoner. The Russians (the enemy – ed.) couldn't care less about their personnel,” said soldier Vitaliy Sid.

Ultimately, the Sicheslav paratroopers and adjacent units pushed the Russians out of Kotlino. After the Ukrainian forces secured their positions, the occupiers were prevented from approaching — everything was destroyed at the approaches, Sid reported.

During the assault actions, the Russians lost equipment as well as personnel: 275 soldiers killed and 203 wounded.

More on the situation in the Pokrovsk direction

According to data from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, over the past day in the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian forces halted 25 assault actions in the areas of the populated localities of Promin, Tarasovka, Kotlino, Pyschane, Nadeevka, Preobrazhenka, and Andreevka.

It should be noted that on February 16, Ukrainian forces pushed the Russians out of the village of Pyschane, located about 5 km from Pokrovsk, and also repelled the occupiers in several other populated areas.