Russia has claimed that its forces are advancing into the strategic eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk and conducting a “cleansing operation” against Ukrainian troops. On Wednesday, the Russian Ministry of Defence said they were close to taking full control of the northern part of the city and that Ukrainian positions were rapidly weakening, according to a report by the British news agency Reuters.
Intense fighting has continued in Pokrovsk for more than a year. Ukraine has acknowledged that the situation in the city is difficult but insists its forces are not encircled, stating that fresh troops and weapons are being deployed.
In a statement, the Russian Ministry of Defence said that the 2nd and 51st brigades were encircling and destroying Ukrainian troops in the eastern areas of the city’s Prigorodne and Central districts. Attacks from the north also continue.
They further claimed that Ukrainian forces were being pushed out of villages on Pokrovsk’s southeastern outskirts and that all attempts to break the encirclement had failed.
Ukraine’s military said on Tuesday that fierce battles were taking place in key logistical areas of the city, and special forces along with additional equipment had been deployed. As of Wednesday, Kyiv had not issued any new comments.
On Monday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that although pressure around Pokrovsk had increased, Russian troops had made no real gains. He claimed that about 300 Russian soldiers inside the city had been immobilized over the past day.
In response, the Russian Ministry of Defence accused Zelensky of either not understanding the reality or deliberately hiding it. They claimed Ukrainian forces in both Pokrovsk and Kupiansk were “trapped” and had no option but to surrender.
Russia is using a dual-flank encirclement strategy in Pokrovsk and Kupiansk rather than launching direct assaults. Small, fast-moving units and drones are being employed to disrupt Ukrainian supply lines. Russian military bloggers describe the battlefield as a “grey zone” where no side has full control, though Ukraine is struggling to hold its defenses.
The latest maps show Russian forces are just a few kilometers away from completely encircling Pokrovsk and have taken control of major sections of key roads in Kupiansk.
Before the war, Pokrovsk had a population of around 60,000. It is now nearly deserted. All children have been evacuated, and only a few civilians remain among the ruins.
