Former Azov Brigade commander warns Zelensky of dire frontline situation near Pokrovsk
In a direct appeal to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Bohdan Krotevych, the ex-chief of staff of the National Guard brigade "Azov," highlighted the grim realities unfolding on the frontline, particularly around the Pokrovsk direction.
According to Krotevych, the cities of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad are "almost encircled," with Kostyantynivka in a semi-encirclement. Th situation has been worsening since last year due to a variety of reasons. Moreover, the Russians are advancing towards Kramatorsk and Druzhkivka. Krotevych shared these stark observations on his X page.
"Mr. President, I genuinely do not know what exactly you are being told, but I inform: on the line Pokrovsk — Kostyantynivka, it’s a complete catastrophe without exaggeration. And this disaster has been escalating for a long time, worsening every day," Krotevych emphasized. The former brigade chief further added that in the Pokrovsk area, a continuous line of contact "does not practically exist." "Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad are almost encircled. Kostyantynivka is in a semi-encircling situation. The enemy is moving towards Kramatorsk and Druzhkivka," Krotevych explained. He highlighted that the problem has been escalating since 2024 and warned about this "publicly." He pointed to newly-created corps that inherited "a disastrous situation with incompletely manned subordinate units."
Krotevych attributes the systemic problem to several actions:
- "Exhaustion" of reserves;
- Widespread fragmentation of units across the front line;
- Reports of "captured village" as "victory amidst collapses of entire directions";
- "Absolute absence" of strategic and operational "vision of the battlefield," present in part of the military leadership.
In closing, Krotevych declared, "I have finished the report. I am an officer, and I possess a sense of dignity. My conscience is clear. Report concluded."
On August 11, it was reported that Russian forces had secured positions north of Rodynske and were preparing for an assault on Bilytske and an advance from the south toward the settlement of Dorozhne. Intense fighting continues in Rodynske, with the situation remaining critical, particularly due to the strategic role of the mines and industrial zone in the area. This was confirmed by a military official from the Defense Forces with the call sign "Mukhnych." On the same day, military expert Mykhailo Zhirohov urged Ukrainians to brace for "bad news" regarding the Pokrovsk direction during a broadcast on Radio NV. According to him, the situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been complicated by the active advance of the Russian troops, and there is a presence of "chaos" in command management in the area.