Intense Fighting in Pokrovsk: 200 Russian Troops Penetrate Ukraine's Frontline City

About 200 Russian troops have reportedly entered the front-line city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, according to the Ukrainian General Staff on October 26. The city remains a heavily contested area, with Russian forces intensifying operations and massing personnel around Pokrovsk in an effort to push Ukrainian defenders out.

The Russian incursion involved small infantry units penetrating Ukrainian positions, allowing roughly 200 soldiers to establish a foothold within the city. Clashes between Ukrainian forces and the intruders continue, including engagements involving small arms and drones. Ukrainian counter-sabotage measures are reportedly preventing the Russians from consolidating their positions, but the situation is described as highly dynamic and intense.

This is not Russia’s first attempt to breach Pokrovsk. During Moscow’s summer offensive in July, Russian troops briefly entered the southwestern part of the city before being repelled. Since then, smaller Russian sabotage and infantry groups have repeatedly tried to infiltrate the city using “total infiltration tactics,” with Ukrainian forces reporting multiple successful defenses.

In October, video footage surfaced showing Russian soldiers in Pokrovsk killing several unarmed civilians near the central railway line. Following the video’s release, Ukraine’s 7th Corps of Air Assault Forces confirmed a Russian reconnaissance and sabotage group had penetrated Ukrainian lines along the railway.

The Russian assault on Pokrovsk has come at a high cost. The Ukrainian General Staff reported 1,756 Russian personnel losses and the destruction of 75 pieces of equipment over the past ten days, underscoring the intensity of fighting in the city.