Ukrainian defenders have disrupted a staged Russian propaganda effort in the town that provides an eastern shield for Pokrovsk. On 14 November, Kyiv troops destroyed a Russian flag that occupying troops had planted atop one of the ruined mines on the southeastern outskirts of Myrnohrad, the Eastern Military Group reported.

Ukrainian forces disrupt Russia's staged victory performance

“For the sake of another ‘flag-planting’ and a fake ‘victorious picture,’ the occupiers once again suffered significant personnel losses,” the Ukrainian military said.

However, they added, “the Russian rag did not hang for long, and the Russian infantry soldiers were eliminated.”

The Eastern Military Group stressed that Ukrainian forces confidently hold their positions in Myrnohrad and continue destroying enemy troops approaching the city.

“Logistics to the city are functioning. Myrnohrad remains under the control of our units,” the command added.

The incident became yet another example of Russia attempting to fabricate media narratives about the “capture” of settlements to sustain the myth of success on the frontline. Ukrainian defenders, however, respond to such provocations swiftly, demonstrating full control of the situation.

1350 civilians remain in Myrnohrad under bombs and FPVs

According to various analytical estimates, between 30,000 and 40,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in the battle for Pokrovsk, a number that may exceed the city’s pre-war population of just over 50,000.

Some 1,350 civilians remain in Myrnohrad, as in Pokrovsk, with evacuation impossible due to constant shelling and Russian attacks, ZN.UA reports.

The fall of Myrnohrad would leave Pokrovsk without a shield, opening the way for further Russian advances toward Kostiantynivka, Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk, and ultimately for the capture of the entire Donetsk Oblast. Russia has been attempting to seize the region for 11 years.

A Russian capture of Pokrovsk could also create the illusion of Russian momentum in Ukraine, pressuring Western partners into accepting Moscow’s terms in potential negotiations, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. 

To execute its plan, Russia has deployed the 8th and 51st armies, four marine brigades, and the 9th brigade of the so-called DNR. FPV drone units Rubikon, Judgment Day, and the Irish, among the most experienced in the entire Russian army, are also actively operating in this direction.

Earlier, a Ukrainian officer said that the Kyiv troops in Myrnohrad and further south are practically surrounded.

Another soldier defending Myrnohrad confirmed his statements, saying that "it’s better to stay in position and wait until we are either liberated or captured".

“Even if we were ordered to withdraw, we probably wouldn’t survive,” he said.