Overview
- Russian units have pushed into urban districts from the south, with street battles and drone and mortar strikes disrupting Ukrainian resupply and endangering remaining civilians.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attackers outnumber defenders in the sector by roughly eight to one.
- The Kremlin claims more than 5,000 Ukrainians are encircled, but the Institute for the Study of War and open‑source trackers report no evidence and still show a narrow 10–15 kilometer corridor under heavy fire.
- Putin offered a brief pause in attacks around Pokrowsk–Myrnohrad to allow journalist access, a proposal that falls short of any cease-fire.
- Analysts warn that Ukraine’s logistics are strained and withdrawal options are shrinking, even as UN findings highlight deliberate attacks on civilians in the wider Donetsk area.