The commander in chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, has warned that Russian military activity is rapidly increasing around the key frontline town of Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region. He described the situation as “difficult” but denied claims that Ukrainian troops had been surrounded, calling such reports “untrue” propaganda.
In a statement on Telegram, Syrskyi said Russian infantry units were amassing in Pokrovsk’s urban areas while avoiding direct combat. “Their primary goal is to infiltrate and entrench within the city,” he said, adding that Ukrainian forces are focusing on identifying and destroying the enemy troops. The general emphasized that the priority remains preserving the lives of Ukrainian soldiers amid intense fighting.
Pokrovsk holds significant strategic importance as a transport and supply hub. If captured, it could open the way for Russian forces to advance toward Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, the two largest Ukrainian-held cities in Donetsk. Moscow has been attempting to seize the town for over a year as part of its broader effort to control the entire region.
Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov recently claimed that Ukrainian troops in Pokrovsk were surrounded, but Kyiv has strongly rejected the assertion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia’s push for Pokrovsk aims to produce a symbolic victory to “convince the United States that Ukraine is on the run,” noting that Russian troops outnumber Ukrainians in the area by as much as eight to one.
Independent assessments from defense intelligence firm Sybelline and monitoring group Deepstate confirm that the battle for Pokrovsk has intensified. Russian forces are reportedly infiltrating deeper into the city and disrupting Ukrainian supply lines. Deepstate warned that the situation is nearing a “crisis point,” suggesting that without swift reinforcements, Ukrainian control over Pokrovsk could be in jeopardy.
As the fight for Pokrovsk escalates, both sides continue to frame the battle as pivotal for the broader war in eastern Ukraine.
