The skies over the heavily disputed Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk are teeming with drones, making it too risky for military convoys to navigate the volatile streets, which would make them easy targets.
However, amidst thick fog in the area recently, a video surfaced on social media showing a small group of Russian soldiers maneuvering through Pokrovsk on motorcycles and in a car with missing doors.
A brief video clip shared by Russian military bloggers offered a glimpse into the strategic battleground of Pokrovsk, presenting a desolate scene reminiscent of a dystopian movie like Mad Max.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pointed out that adverse weather conditions were aiding Russia in its attempts to infiltrate a city it has been advancing towards for over a year.
Maps of the front lines indicate that the city is on the verge of being captured, with some military experts forecasting that Russia is likely to take control of Pokrovsk and the nearby city of Myrnohrad in due time.
“The situation has evolved with the increased presence of Russians compared to before,” mentioned a Ukrainian drone operator known by the callsign, Goose, as per military regulations.
“The Russians are working in small teams, but lately, they have been utilizing vehicles and motorcycles.”
City in Conflict
Goose, a member of the 68th Separate Jaeger Brigade of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, has been stationed in Pokrovsk for several months. He has a bird’s-eye view as Russian forces encircle the city, once home to 60,000 residents before Moscow launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.
Unlike the battle for Bakhmut where Russia launched a direct assault on the city in the Donestk region early in the conflict, Russia is now employing a pincer movement to encircle Pokrovsk from the south and northeast.
With a few hundred troops now inside the city, Russia aims to establish offensive positions.
These actions are part of a strategy to disrupt Ukraine’s supply routes and provide Moscow a footing to push further north and capture more of the Donetsk region, a territory claimed by the Kremlin but not fully under its control.
Ukraine’s chief military officer, Oleksandr Syrskyi, estimates that around 150,000 Russian troops are amassing in the region, with several hundred already present in Pokrov
