The key stronghold of Pokrovsk (called “Krasnograd” by Russia) on Ukraine’s eastern front is now surrounded by Russian forces and on the verge of collapse. If the city falls, it would represent Russia’s most significant territorial gain since the capture of Bakhmut more than two years ago, and could deal a serious blow to both Ukrainian morale and its defensive strategy.
According to The Wall Street Journal and ABC News, Ukrainian troops in Pokrovsk are heavily outnumbered by Russian forces, while Russian drones dominate the skies.
Located in Donetsk Oblast, Pokrovsk is a vital objective in Russia’s campaign to seize full control of the Donbas region, which includes both Donetsk and Luhansk. Before the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, the city had around 60,000 residents; today, only about 1,000 remain.
Russian forces have now encircled Pokrovsk and the nearby town of Myrnohrad from both the north and south, cutting off nearly all main supply routes. Two of the remaining corridors are under constant attack by Russian drones, making resupply missions extremely dangerous and threatening any potential evacuation for Ukrainian troops.
Ukraine’s defenders face a staggering numerical disadvantage. President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia has deployed roughly 170,000 troops in Donetsk, heavily concentrated around Pokrovsk, leaving Ukrainian units outnumbered by roughly eight to one. Russia also enjoys air superiority, fielding an estimated ten times more drones than Ukraine and using glide bombs to relentlessly strike the city at long range.
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The fight for Pokrovsk mirrors the earlier battles for Bakhmut in 2023 and Avdiivka last year — both of which ended in hurried Ukrainian withdrawals. The Ukrainian army now suffers from severe manpower shortages, with some frontline units operating at just 20 percent of full strength. Soldiers in the city report exhaustion, low morale, and mounting losses under continuous Russian assault.
A reconnaissance company commander from the 68th Brigade spoke candidly about the situation: “We should have pulled back earlier,” he said. “The losses here are senseless, good men dying for positions we can’t hold. Even if we get reinforcements, retaking Pokrovsk would cost everything and achieve nothing.”
Kyiv’s painful decision
Officials in Kyiv are now confronting a painful dilemma: whether to continue defending Pokrovsk — a city with immense political symbolism — to bleed Russian forces and buy time, or to withdraw in order to save lives. Both President Zelensky and senior military commanders have faced criticism in the past for delaying evacuation orders, which some say led to avoidable casualties.
If Pokrovsk falls, it would not only strike a major psychological blow but also endanger Ukraine’s broader defensive network across the Donbas. The collapse could open a path for Russian troops toward three key eastern strongholds: Kostyantynivka, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk.
ABC News noted that the loss of Pokrovsk would mark another major setback for Ukraine, following the fall of Kursk to Russian forces in March this year.
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, roughly 200,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in Donetsk since early 2025, with most casualties concentrated around Pokrovsk and Kupyansk.
However, former U.S. State Department senior adviser James W. Carden offered a sharply different assessment during an October interview with Sky News. He argued that Russia’s military remains intact and that the casualty ratio reportedly favors Moscow by as much as 36 to 1.
By Yang Tianzi.
