The combat commander stated that the Armed Forces of Ukraine could have entered Donetsk during the counteroffensive of 2023.

According to the commander of the drone battalion, the Armed Forces of Ukraine had the opportunity to enter Donetsk during the counteroffensive in the summer of 2023. He stated this on the YouTube channel of journalist Ramina Eskhakzai.

Previously, Pokrovsk was a safe place for the Armed Forces, where military personnel often went to rest with their families. But the situation in the Donetsk direction changed in 2022. During the autumn-winter period, the Armed Forces were constantly stormed and shelled. However, in the summer of 2023, the situation improved, and the army began the counteroffensive with the aim of reaching Donetsk. However, due to the redeployment of all forces to Zaporizhzhia, the Armed Forces were unable to enter the city.

The military is confident that Ukraine will manage to reach the borders of 1991. But soon enemy assaults began, and hopes for success faded. Russian troops continue to advance in the Kursk region and around Kupiansk, Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhove. However, at present, they do not pose a real threat to the city.