Post by : Rameen Ariff

Thick fog in eastern Ukraine has enabled Russian forces to make significant advances into the strategic city of Pokrovsk, heightening fears of an imminent encirclement, according to Ukrainian military sources. The weather has limited visibility, allowing Moscow to deploy additional troops and vehicles into the contested city with reduced risk from aerial reconnaissance.

Ukraine’s 7th Airborne Assault Corps reported that the fog has intensified Russian efforts to increase their presence and encircle Ukrainian defenders. President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, while Army Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi confirmed a deterioration along the front line in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, including the loss of three settlements.

Video footage circulating on social media shows Russian soldiers moving through the southern outskirts of Pokrovsk along the Selidove-Pokrovsk highway. Ukrainian drone units claim to have partially repelled the attack, though the fog prevented full verification of losses. Ukrainian forces have maintained positions in several buildings, but much of the city now lies in a grey zone contested by both sides.

Military analysts warn that Moscow’s primary goal is to encircle Pokrovsk and neighboring Myrnohrad in a tactical “cauldron.” Russian forces are reportedly targeting Ukrainian supply routes with drones, artillery, and ground troops, using infiltration tactics such as disguising soldiers as locals or Ukrainian military personnel to sow confusion among defenders.

Despite these challenges, Ukrainian troops have managed to push back Russian forces in certain areas, maintaining key logistical gaps and preventing a full encirclement. Observers note that while the southern areas of Pokrovsk are under Russian occupation, the overall outcome of the battle remains uncertain, with both sides contesting control of multiple districts.

The Kremlin is also attempting advances in other sectors, including Kupyansk in the northeast and parts of the Zaporizhzhia region. Ukrainian forces have denied claims that Russian troops have fully surrounded Kupyansk but acknowledged a difficult situation in the southern part of the town.

Pokrovsk’s fall would represent a significant strategic loss for Ukraine, providing Moscow with a foothold to launch further operations along the eastern front. Ukrainian military analysts continue to stress the importance of urban defense, rapid reconnaissance, and counter-infiltration measures to prevent larger territorial losses.

The situation in Pokrovsk underscores the intensifying urban warfare conditions in eastern Ukraine, where weather, terrain, and tactical deception are playing pivotal roles in shaping the outcome of clashes.

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