The Russian army's approach to capturing the city of Pokrovsk after nearly 17 months of continuous fighting has caused serious concern in Ukraine, both militarily and socio-politically.
Modern.az reports that this was stated by Samuel Ramani, a writer for "The Telegraph".
It is noted that while the potential loss of the city may not fundamentally alter the overall dynamics of the front in the short term, it could further deepen the moral shock within Ukrainian society and state structures.
Most military analysts believe that although Russia is advancing in the direction of Pokrovsk, it is doing so at the cost of very heavy losses. Nevertheless, the capture of the city could provide Russia with certain logistical advantages.
Pokrovsk is one of the main transport hubs in the western part of Donetsk. Both a railway line and highways leading to Kostiantynivka, Donetsk, Dnipro, and Zaporizhzhia intersect here. Experts state that the loss of the city makes it difficult for Ukrainian forces to reach positions and makes the evacuation of the wounded more risky.
According to the assessment of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia had already deprived Ukraine of the ability to use Pokrovsk as a primary logistical hub by July 2025. The complete loss of the city can only partially reinforce this picture. Ukraine, however, still maintains control over strategic cities such as Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. This indicates that Moscow is still far from its goal of complete domination over Donbas.
It is reported that the loss of Pokrovsk could further exacerbate existing disagreements between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the military leadership. It recalls the contradictions experienced between Zelenskyy and former Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi during the Bakhmut operation: the president advocated a strategy of “turning the city into a fortress,” while Zaluzhnyi suggested withdrawing to reduce personnel losses.
According to the author, the potential loss of Pokrovsk could bring these contradictions back to the forefront and create additional pressure on political stability in Ukraine amidst the war.
