Russian forces on the Pokrovsk front in Donetsk Oblast outnumber Ukrainian forces by eight to one, but have failed to capture the city after a year of fighting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told journalists on 28 October.
Pokrovsk has been a key focus of Russian attacks for over a year. Its capture would allow Russian forces to strengthen positions in eastern Ukraine and potentially leverage the city in international negotiations.
“They have committed forces to Pokrovsk that Ukraine cannot match one to one. Yet they have achieved none of their objectives,” Zelenskyy said, adding that Russia aims to use Pokrovsk to bolster its position in talks with the United States.
Ukrainian forces have captured 2,200 Russian soldiers in the east over the first six months of 2025, including on the Pokrovsk and Dobropillia fronts, Zelenskyy noted.
Russian troops have reached the outskirts of Pokrovsk, where street fighting continues. Ukrainian forces remain in control of the city, while Russian units attempt to advance toward the railway station, sometimes disguised as civilians.
Russia also holds a significant drone advantage in the area, estimated at 10 to 1, according to Ukrainian military sources.
Over 1,200 civilians remain in the city, where evacuation has been suspended due to ongoing Russian control of all exits. Ukrainian forces continue to provide food, water, and medical aid to those trapped.
Pokrovsk anchors the southernmost point of Ukraine's fortress belt - a chain of fortified cities stretching north through Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk that has held for years against Russian advances.
