Russian forces are only 7 kilometers away from the town. Its population has dropped from 48,000 to 13050 in just six weeks.
According to Reuters, a local official stated that the Russian forces destroyed around 80% of Pokrovsk‘s critical infrastructure, a key logistic hub in eastern Ukraine.
In recent months, Russian troops have steadily advanced in the direction of Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast. They aim to push westwards and strain Ukrainian defences. Pokrovsk is strategically important because it is located at the intersection of a road and a railroad, making it an important point for both military operations and civilian ones in Donetsk oblast.
The approaching autumn mud season will also pose additional challenges to both sides, as it will be more difficult to move around and impact the ongoing offensives.
Serhiy Dorbriak, the head of Pokrovsk’s military administration, said that Russian troops were now approximately 7 kilometers (4 miles), from the town.
Pokrovsk’s population has decreased significantly. Only 13,050 people remain, compared to 48,000 residents just six weeks earlier. Ukrainian officials have been implementing an evacuation plan for several weeks.
Nine glide bombs were launched in the town on Thursday. Four people were injured and infrastructure was further damaged. Dobriak reported the daily attacks target energy facilities and vital infrastructure.
Pokrovsk and ten villages nearby, as well as a smaller town, are all without power due to the extent of damage. Russia denies targeting civilian infrastructure.
On 2 October, the Ukrainian 73rd Mechanized Brigade strategically retreat from Vuhledar to minimize losses due to heavy Russian pressure on its flanks.
The Russians have been trying to capture Vuhledar since two years, because it is a city that benefits them. It is located on high ground with many multi-story buildings. These conditions are ideal for reconnaissance and offer a better vantage for firing at the enemy.
DTEK CEO Maksym Tichenko told Reuters that Ukraine needs more Patriot and IRIS T systems to protect its critical infrastructure from Russian ballistic missile attacks this winter.
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