Russian and Ukrainian troops engaged in battles in Pokrovsk on Tuesday, a critical logistics center in eastern Ukraine that Russia has aimed to capture for over a year. Ukraine’s military reported intense fighting in a part of the city vital for its logistics and stated that special forces, along with more weapons, were deployed there. The Russian Defence Ministry claimed to have cleared 35 buildings of Ukrainian soldiers and reported that they were surrounding Ukrainian forces near Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region. However, Ukraine denied that its troops were encircled in either location, and reports from both sides could not be verified.
Peace talks remain stalled in the ongoing war, with Russia asserting it has the initiative despite not capturing a major town since early 2024. Ukraine maintains that its territorial losses have been minimal. DeepState, a project mapping the front line, indicated that Russian forces have made some advancement in Pokrovsk, but much of the area remains contested. Capturing Pokrovsk could allow Russia to push towards Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. Ukrainian President Zelenskiy acknowledged the pressure on Pokrovsk but emphasized that Russian troops do not control any district fully. He also visited troops in the area of Dobropillia, where Ukraine is mounting a counteroffensive.
with information from Reuters
