Fighting Intensifies Across the Front
Ukrainian military sources said their forces had been successfully resisting repeated Russian attempts to take the town of Kamianske along the Dnipro River, situated immediately south of Stepnohirsk. The moves being made by the Kremlin-backed separatists, and the report from Governor Fedorov, come on the heels of what some view as indications that Russia is beginning to increase pressure in Ukraine's east and southeast.

Ukraine's military leadership has warned of a new tactic being used by Moscow-aligned forces, with small sabotage groups at work to breach defences on the eastern front in the Donetsk region. The country was also forced to make these adjustments as Russian forces entered the third month of their invasion, still working hard and using everything they had to knock out key logistical areas — like Pokrovsk, held under persistent assault.

Donetsk Remains a Major Flashpoint
The Russian Ministry of Defence has claimed to have seized Chasiv Yar, an elevated town to the north-east of Pokrovsk, following inconclusive fighting. While Ukrainian authorities have yet to confirm the assertion, the capture of it by Russians would help in larger offensives for at least two reasons.

A Moscow-backed official in occupied parts of Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, said taking the Chasiv Yar crossing would help secure more ground. In the east, Pokrovsk is still located in a vital industrial region, said Ukraine's top military commander, Oleksandr Syrsky.

Syrskyi also claimed that the number of Russian infiltration raids was growing, with sabotage units shifting their focus to rear sections in Ukraine. Ukrainian forces have now created special counter-sabotage teams to intercept and destroy these threats as the war heats up in Eastern Ukraine.