Russia Moves in on Pokrovsk in What Would Be Huge Win in Ukraine War
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Russian forces have advanced towards Pokrovsk it has been reported, as one Ukrainian sergeant described how "things are going terribly wrong" for Kyiv's forces fighting to hold on to the logistics hub in the Donetsk region.
Russian forces had entered Pokrovsk following earlier Russian advances south of the city, according to reports.
Military analyst Emil Kastehelmi told Newsweek Tuesday that Russian gains on the eastern flank of the city endangered its defense but there was no immediate threat of encirclement, although the situation for Ukrainian forces could deteriorate quickly.
Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian and Russian defense ministries for comment.
This image from June 19, 2025 shows the evacuation of civilians from Pokrovsk, Donetsk region by the forces of the National Police of Ukraine.
This image from June 19, 2025 shows the evacuation of civilians from Pokrovsk, Donetsk region by the forces of the National Police of Ukraine.Why It Matters
A city with a pre-war population of 60,000, Pokrovsk is located west of Avdiivka which fell to Russian forces in February 2024 and is a critical hub in Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast.
Key to Moscow's goal of controlling the Donbas region, Pokrovsk's railroad and road connections mean that falling to Russia would complicate resupply efforts for Ukrainian troops and could enable Russian forces to push toward Dnipro to the east.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said Monday Russian advances northeast of Pokrovsk are aimed at enveloping the city and creating the base of a salient to attack Ukraine's fortress belt from the south.
What To Know
Ukrainian military personnel said that the initial Russian infantry incursion into Pokrovsk took place on July 17, according to Ukrainska Pravda. Russian forces advanced south of Pokrovsk and were reinforcing groupings northeast of the city, according to the ISW.
By Monday evening, Ukrainian OSINT analysts DeepState reported that a mop-up operation against Russian sabotage groups in Pokrovsk was ongoing.
DeepState said that Russian forces had exploited a Ukrainian brigade's depleted infantry and a muddled battlefield assessment to infiltrate the city via Zvirove.
The crisis for Ukrainian forces was dealt with by their 155th Separate Mechanized Brigade and the 68th Jaeger Brigade but Russia intended to dig in and await reinforcements as a hunt continue for Russian sabotage groups, DeepState said.
Emil Kastehelmi, a military analyst with the Black Bird Group, told Newsweek Russian forces had made gains especially on the eastern flank of Pokrovsk which are beginning to pose a significant issues for the city's defense.
He said that supply lines are becoming increasingly threatened by Russian drones, but there is still a relatively large troop concentration in the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad-Novoekonomichne-area.
The gap between the Russian "pincers" is still a bit less than 13 miles, meaning there's no immediate threat of encirclement, "however the situation can deteriorate quickly, if the eastern flank isn't stabilized," he said.
Small Russian groups seem to be able to penetrate their way into Pokrovsk too, indicating some gaps in the Ukrainian lines it seems but it appears that Russian forces have not consolidated any positions inside the city yet, he added.
What People Are Saying
Dmitro Shchipko, Staff Sergeant, Ukrainian Armed Forces on X: "Very... very bad news...We need every RT, like, comment, and donation for the Pokrovsk front. Things are going terribly wrong."
Emil Kastehelmi, military analyst with the Black Bird Group: "Russians have recently made more gains especially on the eastern flank of Pokrovsk, where the latest advances are beginning to pose a significant issues for the defense of the city."
What Happens Next
Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said Monday there had been a successful strike against Russian saboteurs trying to break into Pokrovsk as the fight for the hub continues.
The ISW said Russia's redeployment of elements of two brigades to the area indicates that Moscow might intensify assaults against Pokrovsk.
Meanwhile, Kastehelmi said that Ukrainian forces will have to careful not to face attrition in their units on the most critical parts of the front as they try to hold onto Pokrovsk.
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