Russian forces have reportedly entered the center of the strategically vital city of Pokrovsk in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, as Ukrainian defenses in the area face increasing pressure. The development marks a significant deterioration in the situation for Ukrainian troops, with the city now edging closer to full encirclement.
On Monday, a video posted on social media showed Ukrainian soldiers under attack in central Pokrovsk. The vehicle they were traveling in came under fire and was forced to stop, prompting a firefight with what were identified as Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups (DRGs).
In a separate video posted the same day, a Ukrainian soldier using the call sign “Alex” warned that Russian DRG activity had surged in recent days. He emphasized the alarming pace at which these units were now operating within the heart of Pokrovsk—a significant escalation from previous months when Russian sabotage groups had only been confirmed on the southern outskirts of the city.
Geolocation analysis of Monday’s footage confirmed that the Russian unit engaged the Ukrainian soldiers near the city center, further north than any prior confirmed DRG activity.
Meanwhile, Russian forces are reportedly making coordinated efforts to advance behind Pokrovsk, seeking to cut off the city and its twin, Mirnograd, from Ukrainian resupply and escape routes. By Monday, Russian artillery had begun intense, close-range shelling of the town of Rodynske, located along one of only two northern highways that remain under Ukrainian control. While the road is not yet physically blocked, it is now under effective Russian fire control, complicating Ukrainian logistics.
Ukrainian social media accounts have raised alarms over the deteriorating situation in Pokrovsk and Mirnograd, warning of a possible operational encirclement that would leave Ukrainian troops with only two grim options: retreat through exposed terrain or fight to the last man.
Military analysts warn that the fall of Pokrovsk could serve as a major turning point in the war, potentially allowing Russian forces to outflank entrenched Ukrainian positions in both the eastern and southern Donbas. With the battle now entering its decisive stages, Pokrovsk may prove to be one of the most pivotal engagements in the nearly three-and-a-half-year-old conflict.