SIEGE OF POKROVSK: Russian Forces Encircle Key Stronghold, Reach Its Outskirts – City is a Key Logistics Hub and the Last Fortified Bastion Before the Dnieper River (VIDEOS)

Pokrovsk may become the greatest Russian conquest in 2025.

We have been keeping an eye on the developments of the northern Donetsk frontline, and the approach to key logistics hub of Pokrovsk (Russian name Krasnoarmeysk).

It’s been a slow, painful struggle since the first approaches in October 2024, as we can read in DONETSK ONSLAUGHT: Russians Approach Key Donetsk Center of Pokrovsk, the Largest City Conquest Since Bakhmut.

In December 2024 that was some progress, that we reported in Russian Forces Reach Outskirts of Key Donetsk City of Pokrovsk – Chief Ukrainian General in Donetsk Ousted – Last Coking Coal Mine Stops Operations (VIDEOS).

Watch: Pokrovsk – Russian FAB Bombs Devastate Ukrainian Deployment Point.

Now, after a long fight to partially encircle the city, assault troops have entered the outskirts of the settlement and established positions, after securing Leontovichi and Troyanda on the southwestern flank.

Pokrovsk is a key supply road and railway hub, connecting major Ukrainian military centers like Kostantinovka, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk.

From reporting in the Telegram Channels Slavyangrad, Lord Bebo, RT News and Sputnik International, we gather the following developments:

The Tsentr (Center) group has also entered Mirnograd from the east and south.

Ukrainian defenses are working directly in the city, in the area of the apartment buildings.

Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups are penetrating the center of Pokrovsk.

Russian analysts have opined that this siege is a scaled-up copy of how they took Selidovo, an operation that we reported on Russian Forces Conquer Selidovo After Short Siege, Signaling Deteriorating Ukrainian Defenses in the Fight for Donetsk Region (VIDEOS).

Russian Telegram channel Military Chronicle reported (via Slavyangrad):

“[Russia is undertaking] a systemic destruction of the defense — strikes on the rear, cutting off supplies, massive use of FAB bombs and drones. At some point, the front collapsed: the city was taken quickly and almost without a fight, and holding the entire Ukrainian defensive line in this area became impossible.

Near Pokrovsk now — the same story. The Russian Federation is consistently working on accumulating forces, wearing down the Ukrainian reserves, delivering ammunition, isolating supplies, that is, conducting a full-scale preparatory operation to soon enter the city itself. In fact, conditions are being created now under which the defense will collapse on its own, so there will be no need to actively storm every block, as in Chasiv Yar.”

The Ukrainian Armed Forces can no longer be said to be holding ‘as usual’.

“Much in the near future will depend on whether Syrsky will risk burning the remaining prepared reserves here (in particular, the 113th and 241st Territorial Defense Brigades, as well as other pseudo-elite formations like the 152nd Mechanized Brigade, which a month ago were at the junction of the fronts). The Ukrainian Armed Forces will definitely have to sacrifice one of the directions. The whole question is which one.”

Russians seem to be preparing an attack and breakthrough from three sides.

Watch: drone images of the city of Prokorovsk.

The Kiev regime defenses suffer from an information vacuum and communication problems between adjacent units, that keep the formations command from making rapid decisions to stabilize the front.

The latest updates say that Ukrainian army is retreating from southern suburbs and nearby villages towards the city center, and withdrawing most of the commanders from the city.

There doesn’t seem to be any Ukrainian pushback or successfully counterattacks. The reserve units in this area seems depleted as it was the case of Avdeevka, Artemovsk, Soledar, and others.

Read more: