The Ukrainian military said the pace of Russian attacks was slowing across the front and in the flashpoint of Pokrovsk, Russian forces were pushed back in a strategic area, the Kyiv Post reported.
The Ukrainian army has recently launched a number of limited but successful counterattacks to hinder Russia’s offensive, the Ukrainian military situation report said on February 27.
Video released by the Ukrainian Airborne Command shows the 25th Airborne Brigade retaking the village of Kotlyne on the Pokrovsk front. Kotlyne lies on the highway connecting Pokrovsk with the Zaporizhzhia region. Russia has controlled the route since late last month.
According to the Kyiv Post, the 25th brigade was originally a conventional force established in 2014. When the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out in 2022, the brigade was transformed into an airborne force, specializing in fighting on the eastern front.
“The 25th Brigade, together with three other brigades, has retaken control of the village of Kotlyne,” Serhiy Okishev, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Airborne Command, said in the video.
A Ukrainian commander revealed that this was the result of weeks of preparation and reconnaissance. The brigade launched a surprise attack at night, catching the Russian defense forces off guard. The video, filmed by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), shows Ukrainian infantry entering the village from two directions.
Ukraine reported that Russia lost 150-250 soldiers in the fighting in the village of Kotlyne, equivalent to about 2 companies. The Russian Defense Ministry has not yet commented.
On February 28, Ukraine also announced that its army had recaptured some areas in the western suburbs of Toretsk and Chasiv Yar. According to the Kyiv Post, the 93rd Mechanized Brigade, a combat-hardened unit, was tasked with counterattacking in Toretsk, first recapturing two coal mines.
If this achievement is consolidated, Ukraine will advance about 2km, but the specific target is unclear because it is very difficult to recapture the central areas of the city currently controlled by Russia.
According to the Kyiv Post, January marked a major setback for Ukraine when it lost the cities of Kurakhove and Velyka Novosilka. Ukraine’s new counterattack is believed to be aimed at reversing Russia’s offensive trend.
The Ukrainian military assessed that the Russian offensive had slowed down across the entire front. In February 2025, Russia controlled 120 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory compared to 350 square kilometers in January.
