Kyiv’s surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region has been making headlines for the past month. However, Russian forces have also been advancing in the east, capturing several villages in Donetsk and Luhansk, which make up the Donbas region. Now, Russian forces are on the verge of taking control of Pokrovsk, a crucial logistics hub for Ukrainian forces in Donbas.
Pokrovsk is strategically important because it serves as a procurement and transportation hub for Ukrainian forces. It is connected to other contested towns in the region through supply routes. If Russian troops capture Pokrovsk, Ukrainian forces near Toretsk and Chasiv Yar will face significant supply problems.
In addition to its strategic importance, Pokrovsk also has industrial value. The town is home to a coal mine that supplies coking coal to Ukraine’s steel manufacturing sector.
The fall of Pokrovsk would bring Moscow one step closer to exerting control over all of Donbas—a long-standing objective for Russia. The Russian army sees Pokrovsk as crucial for expanding its military occupation in eastern and southern Ukraine.
Russian forces have recently captured several villages near Pokrovsk, including Memryk, Krasnohorivka, Hryhorivka, Vodiane, and Halytsynivka. These villages reportedly had complex systems of reinforced trenches and fortifications.
Reports suggest that Russian forces are closing in on Pokrovsk. Much of the town’s pre-war population has already left due to intense fighting in the area. The water supply has been cut off, electricity supply disrupted, and gas used for cooking and heating homes has also been cut off.
Experts believe that Ukrainian forces may only be able to hold out in Pokrovsk for a couple more weeks before they are forced to retreat or risk being encircled by Russian troops using pincer movements.
Kyiv had hoped that its offensive in Kursk would divert attention from Pokrovsk but this strategy seems to have failed as Russian advances continue unabated both in Donetsk and Kursk regions.
The situation remains challenging for Ukraine as it faces numerically superior Russian forces with limited manpower resources. The loss of troops defending Pokrovsk will be a significant factor when deciding their next move.
