News Feed

Elite Azov Corps deployed to Pokrovsk sector amid Russian advances in Donetsk Oblast

2 min read
Elite Azov Corps deployed to Pokrovsk sector amid Russian advances in Donetsk Oblast
Photo for illustrative purposes. Evacuation of civilians from the city by the forces of the National Police of Ukraine "White Angels" unit on June 19, 2025 Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)

The 1st Azov Corps of the National Guard has taken up defensive positions in the Pokrovsk sector in order to block attacking Russian forces, the unit reported on Aug. 12.

Pokrovsk, a front-line town in Donetsk Oblast, has for months been one of the most heavily contested battlegrounds of Russia's offensive in eastern Ukraine.

Azov said its forces arrived in the area "several days" ago. The unit described the situation along the Pokrovsk axis as "complex and dynamic," with Russian troops attempting to advance while reportedly suffering losses in both personnel and equipment.

Azov units have already implemented measures to block Russian forces in the area, and the results will be reported later, the statement read.

Article image
Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast (Nizar al-Rifai/The Kyiv Independent)

The news comes as Russian forces made a push toward the Dobropillia–Kramatorsk highway in Donetsk Oblast, reportedly piercing Ukrainian defenses and seizing positions in nearby settlements to support further offensive operations.

Dobropillia lies 94 kilometers (58 miles) northwest of Russian-occupied Donetsk, and about 22 kilometers (14 miles) north of embattled Pokrovsk.

Ukrainain brigades, severely understrength in infantry, are battling to hold the line against Russian advances in Donetsk Oblast, even as Russian forces have seemingly learned to target weak points in the Ukrainian defense.

Civilian evacuations from contested or occupied areas remain extremely dangerous, with Russian forces repeatedly accused of targeting non-combatants.

The 1st Azov Corps was formed earlier this year as part of a broader reform toward a new corps system.

The unit takes its name from the Azov Brigade, a unit that traces its roots to the start of Russian aggression in 2014 and whose fighters took part in some of the heaviest battles of the war, including the Russian siege of Mariupol in 2022.

Pokrovsk is the city of my childhood. Now I watch it die
A few weeks ago, my colleague Francis Farrell and I were in Pokrovsk. As a war reporter, I’m used to seeing war-torn towns. Last year, we saw glide bombs raining down on Vovchansk, filmed interviews with soldiers in the ruins of Lyman, and joined a volunteer evacuation mission taking civilians out of Selydove, which was on the verge of occupation. But this time was different: Pokrovsk isn’t just another city for me. My native city is just a half-hour drive away from Pokrovsk, and it’s a much
Article image
Avatar
Kateryna Hodunova

News Editor

Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

Read more
News Feed
Show More