Ukrainian forces have been holding Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region for over a year, but the situation in the city is rapidly deteriorating. According to Sky News, Russian forces have created a "strike zone" around Pokrovsk with drones and effectively cut off supply routes.
King's College London expert Marina Miron notes that Moscow is avoiding a direct assault, as this would require too many resources and lead to significant losses. Instead, the Russians are gradually trying to surround the city and force the Ukrainian military to abandon their positions.
Before the war, Pokrovsk was home to about 60,000 people. It is a strategic road and rail junction, known as the "gateway to Donetsk." Its fall could pose a threat to Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
In parallel, fierce battles continue for Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region. The Institute for the Study of War reports on the advancement of Russian units. The Ukrainian General Staff specified that search and strike and counter-sabotage operations are being conducted in the city. Moscow is actively transferring forces there, trying to gain a foothold.
According to analysts, the attacks in the Kupyansk direction may be both an attempt to regain lost territories and the creation of a bridgehead for future political negotiations.
Amid the aggravation of the situation, President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a comment to Sky News, called on Donald Trump to take a clear position on sanctions against Russia and security guarantees for Ukraine.
