Thick fog has enabled Russian troops to move further into the key strategic city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine's 7th Airborne Assault Corps says weather conditions, particularly dense fog, have prompted Moscow to intensify its bid to get increasing numbers into the ruined city and encircle Ukrainian forces. Russian forces have spent more than a year trying to seize the city. Ukraine's military says there may now be 300-500 Russians there, and President Volodymyr Zelensky says the situation remains difficult.
Meanwhile, army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi states that the situation on the front line in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region has significantly worsened, with the loss of three settlements. He notes that Russia is most active around Pokrovsk, where a viral video highlights Russian soldiers navigating through a foggy road in civilian vehicles and motorbikes.
The BBC has verified the location of the video filmed on the southern outskirts of Pokrovsk on the Selidove-Pokrovsk highway, indicating Russian advancements in the area. For several days, weather conditions obscured visibility for aerial reconnaissance, allowing Russian troops to launch assaults typically vulnerable to Ukrainian drone attacks. A Ukrainian drone pilot from the Shershni Dovbusha unit reports that these weather conditions have emboldened Russian forces to move more openly.
In recent reports, Zelensky estimated that up to 300 Russian soldiers were engaged in Pokrovsk, but evidence suggests these numbers have increased with southern areas of the city reportedly now under Russian control. Mapping by the Ukraine-based DeepState monitoring group indicates Russian troops are closing in, and concerns mount regarding the impending fall of the city.
The ongoing violence reflects a precarious situation for Ukrainian defenses, as Russian strategies focus on logistical disruptions, infiltrating both urban environments and supply routes. Tactics such as infiltration and disinformation aim to create chaos before concentrated military pushes, further complicating the already volatile frontline dynamics.
Ukraine's 7th Airborne Assault Corps says weather conditions, particularly dense fog, have prompted Moscow to intensify its bid to get increasing numbers into the ruined city and encircle Ukrainian forces. Russian forces have spent more than a year trying to seize the city. Ukraine's military says there may now be 300-500 Russians there, and President Volodymyr Zelensky says the situation remains difficult.
Meanwhile, army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi states that the situation on the front line in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region has significantly worsened, with the loss of three settlements. He notes that Russia is most active around Pokrovsk, where a viral video highlights Russian soldiers navigating through a foggy road in civilian vehicles and motorbikes.
The BBC has verified the location of the video filmed on the southern outskirts of Pokrovsk on the Selidove-Pokrovsk highway, indicating Russian advancements in the area. For several days, weather conditions obscured visibility for aerial reconnaissance, allowing Russian troops to launch assaults typically vulnerable to Ukrainian drone attacks. A Ukrainian drone pilot from the Shershni Dovbusha unit reports that these weather conditions have emboldened Russian forces to move more openly.
In recent reports, Zelensky estimated that up to 300 Russian soldiers were engaged in Pokrovsk, but evidence suggests these numbers have increased with southern areas of the city reportedly now under Russian control. Mapping by the Ukraine-based DeepState monitoring group indicates Russian troops are closing in, and concerns mount regarding the impending fall of the city.
The ongoing violence reflects a precarious situation for Ukrainian defenses, as Russian strategies focus on logistical disruptions, infiltrating both urban environments and supply routes. Tactics such as infiltration and disinformation aim to create chaos before concentrated military pushes, further complicating the already volatile frontline dynamics.
