Russian troops accelerated their advance toward Pokrovsk over the past week and are likely within 10 kilometers from the edge of the town, the U.K. Defense Ministry said in its daily intelligence report on Sept. 1.
The eastern front near Pokrovsk has been the scene of fierce fighting for several months and a focal point of Russia's offensive in Donetsk Oblast. The city is an important logistical hub for Ukrainian forces.
On Aug. 15, the military administration of Pokrovsk urged residents to evacuate after Russian forces reached about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the town's outskirts.
Responding to a question from the Kyiv Independent, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 27 that the Russian advance on Pokrovsk had slowed in tempo compared to before the Kursk incursion began.
According to the crowd-sourced monitoring website DeepState, Russian troops have been advancing towards Pokrovsk throughout the three weeks of the ongoing Kursk operation.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi acknowledged that one of the objectives of Kursk incursion was to divert a significant number of Russian forces from other sectors, primarily from the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove directions.
Syrskyi said on Aug. 29 that fighting at the front near Pokrovsk was "exceptionally brutal."
"The enemy throws everything that can move and advance into the battle, trying to break through the defenses of our troops," the general said after visiting the eastern front.
According to the U.K. Defense Ministry, the speed of the advance is "likely to slow as Russian ground forces reach Pokrovsk's built-up areas."
"The operational tempo of military activity has remained low on all other front lines in eastern and southern Ukraine," the Defense Ministry added.
As of Aug. 28, around 38,000 people remain in Pokrovsk, according to the local authorities.
Asami Terajima
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