The Russians Captured Pokrovsk. Now A Fresh Air Assault Division Is Deploying To Sustain The March.

Russia is sending in its reserves. Ukraine doesn't even have reserves.

76th GAAD troopers in 2023. Via social media

After a costly yearlong siege, Russian forces are consolidating in Pokrovsk and nearby Myrnohrad in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast—and receiving reinforcements.

And not just any reinforcements. According to the Ukrainian 7th Rapid Reaction Corps, the Russians are deploying the 76th Guard Air Assault Division to the Pokrovsk. The 76th GAAD, thousands of paratroopers strong, has been in reserve in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southern Ukraine for around a year.

The 7th Rapid Reaction Corps spun the deployment as good news, claiming the air assault division is leaving the south for the east because the Russian Center Group of Forces in Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad has lost too many troops capturing the twin settlements. “The enemy has to perform loss replenishment among personnel,” the Ukrainian corps stated.

But it’s hardly a sign of weakness that Russia has reserves to commit to Pokrovsk. Ukraine, on the other hand, currently lacks significant reserves. Indeed, this paucity of uncommitted troops was one of the main reasons Ukrainian forces couldn’t hold Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad.

The main Ukrainian reserve, the 1st Azov Corps, joined the battle for Pokrovsk in August. But it didn’t deploy to Pokrovsk. Instead, it spent months slowly rolling back a Russian incursion miles north of the city.