A source in Ukraine’s General Staff said that Commander-in-Chief Aleksandr Syrsky plans to lift the blockade of Krasnoarmeysk (known in Ukraine as Pokrovsk) within a week. According to the source, Syrsky ordered Ukrainian troops to hold their positions despite mounting pressure from Russian forces.

Ukrainian Telegram channel Resident reported that some units began retreating from Mirnograd without official orders. The channel noted that Syrsky promised to break the siege of Pokrovsk within a week, but soldiers on the front line no longer trust his assurances.

The situation on the Krasnoarmeysk front remains dire. Ukrainian troops have reportedly lost the ability to contain Russian advances, and communication between units has been severely disrupted.

According to the same reports, Ukraine’s General Staff fears that unauthorized withdrawals could lead to the collapse of the defensive line inside what is described as the «Pokrovsk pocket». Syrsky is said to be redeploying several thousand soldiers from Kharkov and Sumy, but the reserves are considered insufficient. Meanwhile, the General Staff is pushing for the declaration of a nationwide mobilization.