Written by Lisa Murimi
Ukraine is fighting to keep control of the strategic eastern city of Pokrovsk as Russian forces intensify attacks in one of the most critical battles of the war, now in its fourth year.
According to Ukraine’s military, Russian troops have deployed an estimated 11,000 soldiers in a major offensive aimed at encircling the city, a key logistics hub in Donetsk region.
The renewed assault has raised fears that Pokrovsk could soon fall if reinforcements are not sent in time.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described the situation as “critical” and urged continued international support as Ukrainian forces struggle to repel Russian advances.
“Pokrovsk is more than just a city. It is a symbol of our resilience,” Zelenskiy said on Monday.
“If we hold Pokrovsk, we prevent Russia from claiming dominance over eastern Ukraine.”
Analysts from the Ukrainian open-source intelligence group DeepState said Russian forces had managed to disrupt a key military supply route linking Pokrovsk to the nearby city of Myrnohrad through ambushes and drone strikes.
The group warned that Ukraine would need to deploy an entire brigade, not smaller units, to stop further infiltration.
“The situation in Pokrovsk is on the verge of critical and continues to deteriorate,” DeepState said.
“Without a strong response, it may soon be too late to reverse the losses.”
Despite the pressure, Ukrainian troops are reported to have successfully repelled several Russian incursions and destroyed a Russian flag that had briefly been hoisted over the city’s gates.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on Wednesday that Ukrainian troops were surrounded in Pokrovsk and in the northeastern city of Kupiansk, but Kyiv dismissed the statement as “propaganda fantasies.”
Military observers say the fall of Pokrovsk would hand Moscow a significant strategic advantage, opening a route to the two largest remaining Ukrainian-held cities in Donetsk.
However, Zelenskiy insists that Russia’s prolonged campaign has only exposed its military weaknesses.
“After more than a year of fighting for Pokrovsk, they have nothing to show but heavy losses,” he said.
The fierce battles for Pokrovsk come as diplomatic efforts to end the war have stalled, with Moscow demanding that Ukraine surrender the entire Donbas region — a condition Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.
