Why Pokrovsk has become a crucial battleground in eastern Ukraine

Pokrovsk: Ukraine’s pivotal battleground city

Russia’s offensive in Pokrovsk has intensified throughout November, with Russian General Valery Gerasimov reporting to President Vladimir Putin that Russian forces now control over 75 per cent of the city. Ukrainian defenders, however, insist they are halting further Russian advances in the northern areas, emphasising that their units continue to hold defensive positions and prevent additional incursions.

The battle for Pokrovsk has been ongoing for more than a year. Initially a slow pressure campaign, it has now escalated into one of the most consequential confrontations of the conflict, with both sides treating the city as strategically and politically vital.

Strategic importance of Pokrovsk

Situated in eastern Donetsk, roughly 60 kilometres northwest of Russian-held Donetsk city, Pokrovsk was home to about 60,000 people before the war. The city functions as a key road and rail hub, enabling Ukrainian forces to supply other frontline positions. Most civilians have since evacuated, with only a few residents remaining amid heavily damaged infrastructure. The city’s only coking-coal mine, located 10 kilometres west, has ceased operations, while the largest regional technical university now stands abandoned following repeated shelling.

As the last major Ukrainian-controlled city in western Donetsk, Pokrovsk represents a gateway from Russian-held territory into central Ukraine, explaining its prominence in Moscow’s campaign.

Russian objectives

Russia aims to capture the entire Donbas, including Donetsk and Luhansk provinces, with Ukraine still controlling around 10 per cent of the region, mostly in northern Donetsk. Control of Pokrovsk would provide a direct route to Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, the largest remaining Ukrainian-held cities in Donetsk. Securing the city and nearby Kostiantynivka would allow Russian forces to push north and strengthen their broader Donbas campaign.

For Moscow, Pokrovsk also carries political weight. Gerasimov indicated that nearly 150,000 Russian troops have been deployed to encircle and capture the city, aiming to project momentum domestically and internationally. A victory would demonstrate Russia’s ability to sustain prolonged campaigns despite domestic economic pressures, including slower growth, rising prices, and sanctions-related hardships.

Ukrainian resistance

The frontline remains fiercely contested. Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Response Corps stated that its forces are inflicting “heavy losses” on Russian troops while reinforcing positions with drone units. “The enemy is trying to cross the railway to increase the area of occupation of the city, but our troops are blocking these attempts,” the Corps said, adding that Russian troops “are being ground down… and [Russia] is having to replenish its losses among personnel.”

Russian forces have reportedly crossed the railway line in two areas of Pokrovsk, on 14 November and again on 20 November, according to Ukraine’s Deep State mapping. Gerasimov also told Putin that Russian troops had captured several settlements around the city, while Russia’s defence ministry released footage showing soldiers advancing through deserted southern streets, though independent verification of this footage is not available.

Tactics used in the offensive

Unlike earlier battles, such as Bakhmut, where Russia relied on frontal assaults, the offensive in Pokrovsk has emphasised encirclement and pressure on supply lines. Over more than a year, Russian forces have sought to gradually isolate the city by threatening critical routes, using:

Infiltration teams of two or three soldiers moving along fog-covered paths

Artillery, glide bombs, and FPV drones to target supply lines

Civilian vehicles and motorbikes to approach Ukrainian positions

Exploitation of seasonal fog limiting Ukrainian reconnaissance and early-warning systems

Consequences if Pokrovsk falls

If Pokrovsk falls, it would reshape the military and political landscape. Russian control would provide a springboard for further advances toward Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, while leaving Dnipropetrovsk more exposed. After the fall of Avdiivka earlier in 2024, Russian advances toward Pokrovsk and Ocheretyne met little resistance, prompting Ukrainian reinforcements to protect against a potential breakthrough.

The city’s capture would also offer Moscow a symbolic win amid economic strain, reinforcing narratives of progress in the Donbas. Internally, Ukraine faces complications, including a $100 million energy-sector corruption scandal, which has heightened domestic criticism and drawn international attention. A Russian victory could intensify doubts over Ukraine’s ability to hold territory and strengthen calls for mediation in Washington, potentially affecting future aid.

Pokrovsk has become the central battleground in the eastern Ukraine conflict because of its strategic location, logistical significance, and proximity to other key Ukrainian cities. Russian forces have nearly encircled the city, while Ukrainian defenders continue to resist in the remaining areas, highlighting the enduring strategic and symbolic importance of Pokrovsk in the broader war.

(With inputs from agencies)