Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the defense of Pokrovsk is a "priority", as elite special forces were deployed in the besieged city on the eastern front line.
The battle for Pokrovsk, a strategically important city in the conflict-torn region, has attracted the attention of the international community. The tension there is increasing with each passing hour.
Sources from the Ukrainian army told the BBC that special forces from military intelligence and assault groups are being used as ordinary infantry to protect supply lines to the troops defending the city in the Donbas region. The decision to deploy these elite units testifies to the increasing intensity of the fighting and the critical importance of holding Pokrovsk. Personnel trained for elite combat are on the front lines, subjected to brutal pressure.
Given its strategic significance, the advance towards Pokrovsk marks another escalating round of Russia's actions in the region. Reports of Russian offensives around the strategic city west of Donetsk are increasing. Observers note that the fighting is fierce and the Russian army is concentrating forces in the area.
Ukraine denied claims that its forces were surrounded. However, the situation remains unstable and the spread of disinformation further complicates the picture of the conflict.
Moscow insists that Kyiv cede the entire Donbas region as part of a peace agreement, including the parts it does not currently control. This position underscores the Kremlin's ambitions and suggests a potentially prolonged and intense struggle for control of the region.