Pokrovsk to fall soon? Kyiv says Russia has encircled strategic city with 110,000 troops

Russia is rapidly closing in on the strategic Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk as reports emerge that Russia has amassed over 110,000 troops in the region.

Ukrainian military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Friday (June 27) that the strategic eastern Ukrainian city was the hottest spot along the 1,200-kilometre (745 miles) front line.

The city has been on the checklist of Russian invading forces for almost a year now. However, thanks to strong resistance put up by Kyiv forces, Russia has so far failed to take over Pokrovsk.

Significance of Pokrovsk

Russian President Vladimir Putin has set his sights on capturing the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, with Pokrovsk emerging as a critical target in Moscow’s strategy.

Though not a major city, Pokrovsk’s strategic value lies in its position along a vital supply road and railroad linking key military hubs like Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk.

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These cities form the core of Ukraine’s defensive line in the Kyiv-controlled portion of Donetsk.

So, if Pokrovsk falls, Ukraine’s hold over other key flashpoints will weaken considerably.

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Pokrovsk was home to approximately 60,000 residents.

Three years of war have driven most to flee, leaving the city a shadow of its former self. The city’s economic significance also took a hit earlier this year when Ukraine’s last operational coking coal mine, located in Pokrovsk, shut down. Many mine workers, who had remained to sustain operations, have since left.

According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US-based conflict monitoring group, Ukraine’s robust defensive efforts in Pokrovsk have disrupted Russia’s initial plans for a direct assault on the city. The ISW noted late last year that Ukrainian forces compelled Moscow to abandon its strategy of a frontal takeover, highlighting the resilience of Kyiv’s defences in this critical region.

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As the war grinds on, Pokrovsk remains a linchpin in Ukraine’s eastern front, with both sides acutely aware of its strategic importance in the battle for Donetsk.

Change in strategy

After Ukrainian defences thwarted Moscow’s plans for a direct assault, Russian troops have shifted tactics, now attempting to encircle Pokrovsk from the south and northeast, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

In its latest assessment on Friday (June 27), the ISW reported that Russian forces are employing small, agile fireteams of one to two soldiers, often using motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and buggies to conduct assaults.