Ukrainian unit claims Pokrovsk cleared of Russian saboteurs
Ukrainian troops have cleared Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast of Russian sabotage groups and individual saboteurs, the 7th Corps of Ukraine's Airborne Assault Forces reported on Aug. 15.
The corps claimed that Ukrainian units are operating inside the city, and civilians can move about, though travel within Pokrovsk remains heavily restricted. It is still possible to reach the city, the statement added.
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claim.
According to the battlefield monitoring group DeepState, Pokrovsk remains under Ukrainian control, but Russian forces are positioned just 3 to 5 kilometers (2-3 miles) away.
The announcement comes three weeks after DeepState and Ukrainian soldiers on the ground said Russian troops had entered Pokrovsk, a front-line city about 70 kilometers (43 miles) northwest of occupied Donetsk.
Since March, the city has been one of the most fiercely contested sectors of the front line, with Moscow concentrating its main offensive efforts there.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi described Pokrovsk on Aug. 2 as one of the "most difficult" areas of the front, where Russian forces are using "total infiltration" tactics to breach defenses.
On Aug. 11, DeepState reported that Russian troops had advanced toward the Dobropillia–Kramatorsk highway, seizing positions in nearby settlements to support further offensives.
Dobropillia lies 94 kilometers (58 miles) northwest of Russian-occupied Donetsk, and about 22 kilometers (14 miles) north of the embattled city of Pokrovsk.
Ukraine's General Staff said on Aug. 12 that more than 110,000 Russian troops were concentrated in the Pokrovsk area, attempting to slip small infantry units between Ukrainian lines.
The military described the situation as "complex and dynamic," but said Ukrainian forces were taking "effective measures" to halt Russia's advance.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 15 that Russian forces are continuing to suffer heavy losses as they push for gains ahead of the Aug. 15 Alaska meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We understand this plan and are informing our partners about the real situation," Zelensky said.
