Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Monday evening that Pokrovsk has become the main target of Russian forces, which have concentrated their strongest offensive units there.
“Currently, in Pokrovsk, the invaders have the most striking and important offensive activity. Fierce fighting continues in the city. This is their primary objective—Pokrovsk,” Zelensky said, adding that every success of the Ukrainian army there is a positive outcome for Ukraine’s defense.
Pokrovsk is a key point in Ukraine’s defensive lines, and Russia has attempted to capture it for months, seeing it as a critical step toward controlling the entire Donetsk region.
Earlier, citing Ukrainian intelligence, Zelensky told the American portal Axios that Russian President Vladimir Putin had privately declared that Russia intends to capture the entire Donbas region—including Donetsk and Luhansk—by October 15. Currently, Russia controls roughly 75% of Donetsk, leaving about 6,600 square kilometers under Ukrainian control.
