Ukraine denies Russian capture of Pokrovsk as fighting intensifies

Ukraine has denied that Pokrovsk, a city in the country, has been captured following a claim by Vladimir Putin that Russian forces had taken it.

Ukraine has been losing ground in the eastern city, and for Russia, Pokrovsk is part of its wider push to control the Donbas. For Ukraine, holding the city is a way to show it can still resist.

The commander of the Skala Assault Regiment, Yuri, insists that Ukraine still controls the northern part of the city.

Over the radio, his team instructed two Ukrainian soldiers to step out of a building and raise a Ukrainian flag. A drone captured them waving the flag before they rushed back under cover.

Yuri said: “You’ve now seen it with your own eyes.” He added: “I think the whole world should know we will not just give up our territory… If we do not show this, everyone will lose faith and stop helping Ukraine.”

The battle for Pokrovsk has been ongoing for nearly 18 months. The city is in ruins, and the question remains how long Ukraine can hold its position. Analysts tracking Russian movements say Ukraine’s grip on the city is thin.

Russian troops have pushed forward from the south, while Ukraine says it still controls the north, up to the railway line cutting across the city.

Although Russia has taken heavy losses, it still has more manpower. A Ukrainian soldier known as Rabbit displays passports taken from Russian dead. When asked if he believes many Russians have been killed, he replies: “Not enough.”

He described the situation as “hard, but under control” and shows a Russian machine gun captured by a comrade who fought in Pokrovsk for 70 straight days. “All he wanted was cigarettes and ammunition,” Rabbit says.

The fight continues to drain both sides. Rabbit rejects any suggestion of surrendering territory: “We are part of this land. If we give it up, Russia will want more.”

Another soldier, call sign Ghost, describes the situation as “tense, but not critical.” He dismisses claims that Pokrovsk is surrounded as “Russian propaganda,” but notes that “everyone is exhausted both Russia and Ukraine.”

The Skala Regiment has shared recent frontline videos showing troops taking cover from drones. The sound of an incoming drone is often met with bursts of automatic fire.

In Pokrovsk, Ukrainian troops remain focused on the fight rather than diplomacy. Many avoid political topics. But a Latvian volunteer, the Skala Regiment’s deputy commander, shares his view. He says Latvians “understand that if Ukraine loses the war, it’s going to be our country next.”

(BBC News)

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