Ukrainian media: Russian forces control majority of Pokrovsk PHOTO

Most of the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region is now under Russian control, Ukrainian media outlet Ukrainska Pravda reports, citing sources on the ground. 

According to the report, Ukrainian forces hold only the northern outskirts of the city, while the area south of the railway line—which effectively divides Pokrovsk in two—has fallen to Russian troops. The line of contact reportedly runs along the northern part of the city.

News source notes that official maps from the Ukrainian General Staff for the Pokrovsk direction lag behind the reality on the ground by around a month. Attempts by Ukrainian units to retake the city were unsuccessful, as Russian forces were already too numerous.

Counterattacks in the nearby village of Rodynske, along the key Dobropillia–Pokrovsk route, initially achieved some success, but the area was subsequently recaptured by Russian troops.

The report adds that a recent statement from Ukraine’s 7th Air Assault Corps claiming the centre of Pokrovsk had been cleared does not reflect the actual situation.

Pokrovsk has become the first city in the full-scale war that Ukraine has effectively lost “from the air.” In August, Russian forces reportedly gained complete drone control over the city’s airspace, particularly through one of the most effective UAV units, Rubikon. This has severely hindered logistics and the rotation of Ukrainian units in frontline positions.

Despite the ongoing threat from Russian drone operations, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have yet to implement a unified and scalable solution to counter these UAVs.

By Aghakazim Guliyev