Syrskyi Asks Budanov for Reinforcements to Defend Pokrovsk

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine General Oleksandr Syrskyi has requested assistance from the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) to reinforce Ukrainian positions near Pokrovsk, as Russian forces continue their advance inside the strategic city in eastern Ukraine.

Video footage circulating online shows two UH-60 helicopters, which belong to HUR, landing near Pokrovsk and deploying troops to the area. The deployment has been met with widespread attention on social media, though the situation on the ground remains critical.

HUR chief Kyrylo Budanov was observed in Pavlohrad, a city approximately 100 kilometers west of Pokrovsk, suggesting direct oversight of the operation.

Special Forces as The Last Call, Again

This is not the first time General Oleksandr Syrskyi has turned to Kyrylo Budanov for assistance. In 2023, when Russian forces bypassed Ukrainian defensive lines north of Bakhmut and reached the last remaining supply road to the city, Syrskyi requested Budanov’s help to reopen one of the key routes leading to Bakhmut.

The current situation in Pokrovsk bears striking similarities. Russian troops have again maneuvered around Ukrainian positions, seizing northern approaches to the city. The development was largely predictable: Moscow had concentrated thousands of troops to capture Pokrovsk. Outnumbered and unable to hold their defensive lines, Ukrainian forces have struggled to repel the attacks. Rather than concede defeat, the Commander-in-Chief has once more appealed to Budanov for support, seeking to hold the city at all costs.

During the battle for Bakhmut, Budanov deployed the Kraken Regiment and several smaller detachments to stabilize the situation and secure what became known as the “road of life.” All other planned operations were halted as units were redirected to support Syrskyi’s efforts to defend the city—already effectively lost at that stage. In Syrskyi’s view, the operation was a success: control over the key road was reestablished, allowing Bakhmut to hold out for several more weeks. However, the cost was severe. Kraken suffered losses, and took nearly a year to recover. Some smaller units ceased to exist altogether.

According to Syrskyi’s latest statement, the situation within Ukraine’s defense forces is even more concerning. He has ordered the creation of a consolidated group composed of Special Operations Forces, Military Police, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the National Police, and the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR). These elite formations—previously stationed in the rear and preparing for other missions—are now being redeployed to Pokrovsk as front-line infantry.

Regardless of how the battle unfolds, this decision will have long-term consequences for Ukraine’s overall defense capability. While many online users celebrate what they view as a bold operation to save Pokrovsk, the reality is more sobering: Ukraine’s special forces are being committed as regular infantry against a much larger enemy force, fighting an uneven and costly battle.

Details of the Operation

The operation was conducted using two UH-60 helicopters and took place slightly earlier than reports indicated yesterday. The aircraft landed on the northwestern edge of Pokrovsk, where Ukrainian soldiers quickly secured the surrounding area. The mission was likely intended to stabilize the city’s western flank—an area critical to maintaining open logistical routes for resupply and evacuation.

Situation in Pokrovsk

According to the Ukrainian news outlet Hromadske, Russian forces currently control around 60 percent of Pokrovsk. Ukrainian brigades defending the city are facing a severe shortage of infantry; some units are no longer combat-capable yet have not been withdrawn from the city—on the direct order of General Oleksandr Syrskyi, who continues to personally micromanage frontline operations.

The defense of Pokrovsk is being coordinated by the 7th Rapid Reaction Corps of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces, which commands elements from several branches of the military, including mechanized brigades and marine units.

“There is a serious threat of encirclement. If regrouping is not carried out, some people will die, some will be captured. If no one gives the order to regroup, between one thousand and one and a half thousand soldiers could be surrounded,” one Ukrainian commander in Pokrovsk told Hromadske.

However, according to today’s post by 7th Rapid Reaction Corps, the defense forces were able to improve their tactical positions in the city today.