Russian troops are making a concerted push in eastern Ukraine and have gained a foothold in the strategic hub of Pokrovsk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says.
Moscow's soldiers outnumber Kyiv's 8-1 in the area and Ukraine cannot match that, Zelensky added while insisting Russia had not yet achieved the planned result.
Russia has been trying to capture Pokrovsk for two years. The key supply and transport hub provides supplies and reinforcements to the eastern front - and it would get Moscow closer to occupying the entirety of the Donetsk region.
It would also put towns of the heavily fortified fortress belt - Kramatorsk, Slovyansk, Kostyantynivka and Druzhkivka - within easier reach of Moscow.
Zelensky said drone imagery showed that around 200 Russian soldiers were inside Pokrovsk.
Describing the situation as difficult, he said earlier that there was widespread fierce fighting and sabotage groups had entered the town.
However, he rejected reports by Russia's Chief of General Staff, Gen Valery Gerasimov, that Ukrainian troops had been completely surrounded. In an update, Russia's defense ministry stated its forces had encircled Ukrainian troops around the main railway station and cleared the city's Troyanda district of Ukrainian forces.
Ukrainian soldier Artem Pribylnov dismissed the idea that troops were trapped in a cauldron in Pokrovsk.
With the war evolving into a more technological conflict, the ongoing battle showcases the challenges of modern warfare, particularly with the critical role of drones affecting maneuvers on both sides.
Continuing struggles in Pokrovsk illustrate the high stakes involved in shifting the front line even slightly, with recent reports indicating intense street battles and targeted attacks on Ukrainian positions.
Approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory is currently under Russian control as the full-scale invasion, initiated in February 2022, nears its fifth year. President Zelensky has emphasized the necessity for international financial support to sustain Ukraine's defense capabilities against the advancing Russian forces.
