Newly released satellite photographs have laid bare the devastating scale of destruction in the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, illustrating the brutal cost of more than a year of intense combat.
A City Reduced to Rubble
The strategic city, once a bustling urban centre, now lies in ruins following relentless fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces. Russia's defence ministry claims its troops are advancing within Pokrovsk, engaging Ukrainian defenders in fierce house-to-house battles. Moscow has stated that capturing this significant urban area is a primary military objective. However, these assertions have been firmly rejected by Ukrainian military officials, who deny Russian claims of large territorial gains and encirclement, even while acknowledging the situation has become severely challenging.
Zelensky's Defiant Visit
In a powerful show of defiance, President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the embattled region near Pokrovsk on Friday 07 November 2025. The Ukrainian leader met with armed forces personnel, delivering a clear counter-narrative to Moscow's statements and bolstering morale on the front lines. His presence underscored the city's critical importance to Ukraine's defensive efforts in the Donbas region.
The Gateway to Donetsk
The battle for Pokrovsk carries immense strategic weight. Military analysts describe the city as the 'gateway to Donetsk'. Its capture would provide Russian forces with a crucial territorial platform from which to launch further offensives deeper into Ukrainian-held territory. The next major objectives in such a push would likely be the key defensive hubs of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, making the defence of Pokrovsk vital for Ukraine's broader war strategy in the east.
