Overview
- Reuters, citing the Ukrainian project DeepState, reports continued Russian gains in and around the city and describes the situation as critical, with Ukrainian forces no longer able to contain attackers in the south.
- Ukraine’s General Staff says no units are encircled in the Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad sector and that an operation is underway to expel Russian forces while maintaining logistics under pressure.
- Ukrainian military intelligence reports intense urban fighting in Pokrovsk and the presence of its Timur special unit and senior officers in the city, following Black Hawk commando insertions last week.
- The Institute for the Study of War assesses that Russian infiltration groups have been hunting Ukrainian drone teams and forcing close combat, degrading Ukraine’s ability to employ drones effectively.
- Anonymously sourced frontline accounts claim Russia controls roughly 60% of the city and that forward Ukrainian positions are nearly encircled, as analysts debate holding the city versus a controlled withdrawal.