Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine faces heavy fighting as Russia pushes to encircle city
Russian forces now attempting to occupy Pokrovsk (photo: Getty Images)
The Pokrovsk agglomeration in the Donetsk region remains the epicenter of fighting, where Russian forces are attempting to encircle the city from several directions, according to a report by RBC-Ukraine.
For several months, Russian forces have been conducting infiltration in small groups, identifying weak points in the city's defense. Initially, they entered from the south — from the areas of Zvirove and Troyanda — and later from the west, from the Kotlyne area toward the industrial zone in the northwest.
Recently, infiltrations have also been recorded from the southeast. According to military estimates, between 300 and 500 enemy soldiers may currently be in the city.
According to several sources and OSINT analysts, control over Pokrovsk is divided as follows: the southern and southwestern parts are under the control of Russian forces, the central area around the railway is a gray zone, and the northern part is controlled by Ukrainian forces.
In addition to fighting in the city and pressure on Myrnohrad from the east, the enemy is advancing from the north, from the areas of Krasnyi Lyman and Rodynske.
The enemy's goal is to link the units of the 2nd Combined Arms Army advancing from the west with the 51st Army grouping from Krasnyi Lyman in the area of Hryshyne, creating an encirclement of the agglomeration.
Ukrainian forces are currently disrupting these plans, holding back the offensive and conducting counteractions, particularly in Rodynske, which helps support the defenders of Myrnohrad.
The situation remains extremely tense. According to RBC-Ukraine sources, Moscow plans to capture Pokrovsk by December 15 — this is their latest deadline.
However, opinions on the realism of these plans differ. One officer notes that a shortage of personnel and communication problems in Myrnohrad could lead to the city's loss by December.
At the same time, according to other assessments, Ukrainian forces have a chance to hold the agglomeration until the end of the year, provided no unforeseen circumstances arise, such as the withdrawal of battalions from positions or a significant enemy reinforcement.
"The situation there is complicated, but it is being addressed. The President issued an order at the Staff meeting to stabilize the situation in Pokrovsk by November 10 and in Kupiansk by November 15. The instruction was to take measures to prevent further Russian advances or the encirclement of our troops," another informed source in the Defense Forces said on condition of anonymity.
He noted that the Russians have now pulled almost everyone there, and the commander-in-chief is personally overseeing the situation.
"So, for now, the question of withdrawal is not on the table. In Kupiansk, the situation looks more dangerous than in Pokrovsk, because all attention is currently focused on Pokrovsk," the anonymous source emphasized.
Situation on the frontline
The most challenging situation currently is in the Pokrovsk direction and the Zaporizhzhia region, where Russian forces are intensifying their assaults.
Weather conditions favor the enemy's attacks, but Ukrainian units continue to effectively destroy its forces. At the same time, the Armed Forces of Ukraine were forced to withdraw from positions near five settlements in two directions in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Earlier, the pace of the offensive in the Pokrovsk area had slowed somewhat, but the enemy continues to attempt to cut off the logistical routes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Myrnohrad.
Major Andriy Kovalov, spokesperson for the General Staff, told RBC-Ukraine that Ukrainian forces are confidently holding their positions and destroying Russian forces on the approaches to Myrnohrad and in the urban areas of Pokrovsk.
