Overview
- Russia released footage of captured Ukrainian soldiers speaking of surrender, a narrative Kyiv rejects as coerced and untrue.
- President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged Russian infiltration in parts of Pokrovsk and said Ukrainian forces are resisting with counterattacks.
- Ukrainian military intelligence reportedly inserted Black Hawk teams to reopen supply routes, with reports highlighting Kyrylo Budanov’s frontline role and tension with General Valeriy Syrskyi.
- Open-source mapping shows Russian advances from the south and a significant portion of the city contested, as analysts cite shrinking Ukrainian resupply and a major Russian troop buildup near 170,000.
- Losing the rail and road hub could open a corridor westward and represent Russia’s biggest gain since Avdiivka, strengthening Vladimir Putin’s leverage in potential negotiations.