Russia announced on Monday that its troops had made progress in the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, which has been a target for over a year. However, Ukraine claimed its forces were still holding the city. The Russian Defence Ministry stated that its soldiers were targeting Ukrainian groups near the railway station and industrial zone of Pokrovsk and had set up positions in the city’s Prigorodny area.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reported that Russian troops were gathering near Dobropillia, a town where Ukraine had gained ground earlier. He described the situation in Dobropillia as complicated, noting that while Russian forces had lost their offensive advantage, they were still increasing their troop presence. He confirmed that Pokrovsk remained under intense pressure, but Russian troops had not made any progress in the last day.
Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi indicated that Ukrainian forces were stepping up pressure in Dobropillia to divert Russian attention from Pokrovsk. Ukrainian military reports stated that Russian troops did not have complete control over any part of Pokrovsk and were attacking in small groups.
Pokrovsk had a pre-war population of around 60,000, but most civilians had left. Capturing it would benefit Russia by allowing further advances towards Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. If taken, it would represent a significant Russian success since the fall of Avdiivka earlier in the year.
Elsewhere, Russian forces reported heavy strikes on Ukrainian military targets, including an airfield and repair facilities, while also claiming progress near Kupiansk, where they faced resistance from Ukrainian troops.
With information from Reuters