The Ukrainian military has revealed that Russia has positioned 110,000 troops around Pokrovsk, a strategic city in eastern Ukraine, intensifying its efforts to capture the area. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the chief of the Ukrainian military, characterized Pokrovsk as the “hottest spot” along the extensive 1,200-kilometer (745 miles) front line.
For nearly a year, Russian forces have been relentlessly attempting to seize control of Pokrovsk. Despite their numerical superiority in both troops and weaponry, Moscow’s efforts have yet to succeed in overtaking the city.
Pokrovsk is vital to Russia’s ambitions, as President Vladimir Putin aims to annex the entire eastern Ukrainian territories of Donetsk and Luhansk, which are already partially under Russian control. Kyiv and its allies contend that Putin is delaying peace negotiations to facilitate further territorial advances.
Although not classified as a major city, Pokrovsk is strategically positioned on essential supply routes and railroads, linking it to various military hubs. Together with nearby cities such as Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk, it forms a critical part of Ukraine’s defensive infrastructure in the Donetsk region still held by Ukrainian forces.
Once home to around 60,000 residents before the onset of war, the majority of Pokrovsk’s population has fled since Russia began its full-scale invasion in February 2022. The city was host to Ukraine’s last remaining coking coal mine, and many workers originally stayed to keep it operational. However, the mine’s closure earlier this year led to further departures from the city.
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a U.S.-based conflict monitoring organization, Ukrainian defenses in Pokrovsk have thwarted Russia’s initial plans for a direct assault on the city. This shift is attributed to Ukrainian forces incorporating drones effectively into their strategies, which has allowed for better coordination with ground troops.
Meanwhile, Russia has struggled to increase troop numbers in the area due to the need to manage a surprising advance of Ukrainian forces into its southern Kursk region. Syrskyi noted that at one point, around 63,000 Russian soldiers and an additional 7,000 troops from North Korea were redeployed to address this incursion. “This allowed us to weaken the enemy’s pressure on the main fronts and regroup our troops,” he stated. He added that the anticipated Russian capture of Pokrovsk, initially announced in September 2024, has not yet occurred, in part due to Ukraine’s operations in Kursk.
Rather than a direct attack, Russian troops are now encircling Pokrovsk from the south and northeast. The ISW’s latest assessment indicates that Russian assaults are being carried out by small units of one or two soldiers, often using motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and buggies.
In a recent statement, Syrskyi emphasized Russia’s intentions to breach the administrative border of the Donetsk region for both operational and psychological reasons. “They want to do this not only to achieve some operational results, but primarily for demonstrative purposes. To achieve a psychological effect: to put the infamous ‘foot of the Russian soldier’ there, plant a flag and trumpet another pseudo-‘victory,’” he remarked.