MOSCOW, July 11. /TASS/. The most difficult situation has emerged for Ukrainian troops in the frontline area near the settlement of Pokrovsk on the Kiev-controlled part of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Ukraine’s General Staff said on Thursday.

"The Pokrovsk direction remains the hottest spot of the entire line of engagement," Ukraine’s General Staff said on its Telegram channel.

Intense fighting is also underway in the Kurakhovo and Toretsk frontline areas, it said.

A source in the DPR defense circles told TASS on July 9 that servicemen of two Ukrainian army brigades had abandoned their positions at once near the settlements of Yevgenovka and Novosyolovka Pervaya in the Pokrovsk direction.