Ukrainian marines clear six square kilometres near Pokrovsk and capture two Russian soldiers

Ukraine's 40th Separate Marine Brigade has completed an operation, planned for about a month, in the Pokrovsk sector of the Donetsk region, one of the most intense combat areas in Russia's war against Ukraine. The unit says it cleared roughly six square kilometres of Russian troops and took two Russian soldiers prisoner. The brigade's deputy commander, who uses the call sign "Karij", says their accounts show the conditions in which Russian infantry fight.

Operation "Audit"

The operation was code-named "Audit". It involved reconnaissance units, infantry groups and drone operators. According to the deputy commander, the brigade suffered no losses while inflicting losses on the enemy, and it gathered a large amount of intelligence. He said the enemy should expect many more surprises.

At the end of September the brigade had reported clearing five square kilometres and stopping Russian infiltration along this stretch of the front. The figure has now been revised to about six square kilometres.

What he says about the prisoners

The officer says the captured men are typical Russian infantrymen who received only two weeks of training before being sent to the front. In his words, a month goes on transfers and paperwork, followed by two weeks of training and then combat, and soldiers walk a week or even two to reach their positions.

He claims soldiers are not given enough food or drinking water: one package a week with a can of stewed meat, with water taken from whatever is found on the ground. He says some soldiers, after the long trek, no longer want to fight and surrender if Ukrainian drones or ground units do not kill them first. On that basis he described the enemy as demoralised and unprepared.

These are claims by a Ukrainian representative and are not independently confirmed in the source. Russian forces in the Pokrovsk sector use small infantry groups that try to infiltrate Ukrainian defensive positions unnoticed.