Russia Announces Pokrovsk Seizure Ahead of US Talks, Ukraine Disputes Claim.President Vladimir Putin praised what Russian commanders described as the full capture of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, calling it a significant milestone for Russia’s military campaign. Ukrainian officials, however, firmly rejected the claim, saying their forces continued to hold the northern districts of the embattled city and were still conducting counterattacks.
The statement from Putin was released shortly before US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow for discussions on possible steps toward ending the conflict. The timing appeared intended to signal that Russia was gaining ground ahead of diplomatic engagements with Washington. In the Kremlin video, which carried a Sunday date but was made public on Monday, Putin thanked senior military leaders and emphasized the strategic importance of Pokrovsk.
Moscow Says Pokrovsk Captured Before US Negotiations, Ukraine Strongly Rejects Report
Ukrainian military units later told Reuters they remained very much in control of parts of the city. According to Kyiv’s forces, they not only maintained defensive positions in the north but also launched periodic strikes against Russian troops entrenched in the southern areas. They added that logistical routes supporting Ukrainian operations in the city were still functioning despite heavy pressure.
Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Response Corps said Russia was again presenting wishful thinking as fact, arguing that Moscow’s announcement was aimed at shaping a narrative before international talks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy echoed this sentiment, writing on X that Russia was pushing new disinformation efforts ahead of the Moscow meeting, though he did not offer specific examples.
Footage released by the Russian Defence Ministry showed troops displaying the Russian flag in a central square of Pokrovsk as the sound of artillery rumbled in the background. Reuters confirmed the location but could not verify the date of the recording. Independent confirmation of battlefield conditions in Pokrovsk also remained elusive, though maps from both sides have consistently shown the city under severe Russian assault for months.
In the video, Putin appeared in military attire inside a command centre at an undisclosed site. He said that securing Pokrovsk would help Russia advance toward the broader objectives it set at the start of what Moscow continues to call its special military operation. Russian state television gave the announcement prominent coverage, broadcasting images of devastated streets, ruined residential blocks, and extensive destruction at the city’s technical university.
Russian forces now hold more than 19 percent of Ukrainian territory. While this figure represents only a marginal increase compared to two years earlier, Russia’s advances in 2025 have been the fastest since the early stages of the war. Pokrovsk holds particular value for Russia because of its proximity to Ukraine’s only coking coal reserves and its location on a key axis leading toward Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, two of the remaining major Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk.
Russian analysts argue that success in Pokrovsk could strengthen Moscow’s position in any future negotiations by demonstrating that Russian troops are still making meaningful territorial gains. Kyiv, however, insists that even if parts of Pokrovsk fall, the broader situation on the front would not change dramatically and that Russia’s progress comes at an enormous human cost.
Russian military commanders told Putin that troops were conducting clearing operations around Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, where they claimed thousands of Ukrainian soldiers were trapped. They also reported advances along several stretches of the front, including in the Kharkiv region, though Ukrainian officials have not confirmed these claims.
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Source: Reuters
