Russia Moves Closer to Capturing Strategic Ukrainian City of Pokrovsk
Although Moscow claims Donbas as part of Russia, Kyiv and its Western allies reject the annexation as illegal
Russian forces are on the verge of seizing the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk after encircling it through a coordinated pincer movement, according to Russian military bloggers
Reports indicate that small, mobile Russian units have already penetrated parts of the city
What is Pokrovsk?
Pokrovsk, a vital road and rail hub in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, had a pre-war population of about 60,000
The city once hosted a technical university and Ukraine’s only coking coal mine, both now abandoned or suspended due to the ongoing conflict
Most civilians have fled, and all children have been evacuated
Why Pokrovsk Matters
Russia’s objective is to seize full control of the Donbas region, comprising Donetsk and Luhansk provinces
Although Moscow claims Donbas as part of Russia, Kyiv and its Western allies reject the annexation as illegal
Capturing Pokrovsk dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk” and nearby Kostiantynivka would give Russian forces a key position to push toward Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, two major Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk
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Russia’s Changing Tactics
After threatening Pokrovsk for over a year, Russia shifted from frontal assaults to a new strategy encircling the city and disrupting Ukrainian supply lines through drones and small unit incursions
This created a “grey zone” of contested control that has proven costly for Ukraine to defend
Situation on the Ground
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said fierce battles continue in and around Pokrovsk, with supply routes severely strained. Russia’s Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov told President Vladimir Putin that Ukrainian troops in the area have been blocked
Pro-Ukrainian sources, however, warn that the situation is critical, with Russian forces continuing to infiltrate the city.
The Broader Front
Russia now claims control of about 19% of Ukrainian territory roughly 116,000 square kilometers. Moscow says it is also advancing near Kupiansk in Kharkiv, and in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Putin insists that the regions of Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson are part of the Russian Federation, a claim rejected by Ukraine and most of the international community
Despite Russia’s territorial gains, Ukraine continues to mount resistance across multiple fronts, with both sides locked in an exhausting and costly war
Writer : Mweru Mbugua
