Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Putin allegedly wants to gain a political victory by seizing the city.
Russia is intensifying its offensive in eastern Ukraine, with President Vladimir Putin reportedly instructing his forces to seize the entire Pokrovsk–Mirnograd urban area by November 15.
The order, according to former Ukrainian intelligence chief General Mykola Malomuj, marks a push for both military and political dominance.
A show of power
According to Malomuj, the Kremlin is seeking more than battlefield victories.
“Putin’s goal is to demonstrate that he dictates the terms,” he told Kyiv24, noting that the Russian leader seeks to prove control over the battlefield and the broader geopolitical narrative.
Around 60% of Pokrovsk is believed to be under Russian occupation, as Ukrainian special operations—overseen personally by intelligence head Kyrylo Budanov—attempt to reclaim control.
Political message behind attacks
Malomuj said about 17,000 Russian troops have been redeployed to Pokrovsk and nearby Mirnograd to encircle Ukrainian units and cut supply routes.
“The strategic goal is to show that it can conquer territories and impose conditions, especially after Donald Trump’s change of tone and his meeting with Xi Jinping,” he explained.
He added that Moscow’s recent attacks on energy infrastructure aim to sap civilian morale and pressure Kyiv’s Western allies to scale back support.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have launched a counteroffensive south of Pokrovsk, particularly in the Dobropillia area, liberating several villages.
In Kutseriv Yar, Ukrainian paratroopers raised their flag after fierce fighting and evacuated civilians under fire. Ukrainian troops reportedly captured over 50 Russian soldiers in nearby areas.
Fighting through the ruins
Drone images from the front show roads strewn with Russian casualties, highlighting the scale of the violence.
Ukrainian units are advancing slowly and methodically, isolating Russian groups and avoiding ambushes.
Russian commanders, desperate to retain positions, continue sending reinforcements—many of which are ambushed or destroyed upon arrival.
In Shakhove, a nearby settlement, Russian forces faced a disastrous retreat as Ukrainian troops encircled the area. Mud and poor weather left tanks stuck and exposed to Ukrainian drone attacks.
An Azov Corps report counted over 1,200 Russian casualties in a single week, along with 150 vehicles and 200 drones destroyed.
Pokrovsk under siege
The Ukrainian DeepState project reports that Russian forces have entrenched themselves among Pokrovsk’s shattered buildings, turning apartment blocks into makeshift fortresses.
Street fighting remains constant as Ukrainian units struggle to clear each neighborhood while Russian troops shift positions from one sector to another.
On the southern edge, Russian forces are advancing from Zvirove through Shevchenko toward Novopavlivka, following the railway line to Kotline.
The Institute for the Study of War noted in its Nov. 2 assessment, Moscow has made small but significant advances along the M30 highway, where control over individual streets changes multiple times a day.
North under pressure
Further north, in Vovchansk, the battle mirrors the devastation in Pokrovsk. Continuous bombardment has flattened the city, with Russian infantry waves followed by air and artillery strikes.
A Ukrainian officer told Hromadske that “the city has become a continuous front, where control over a street can change several times in a day.”
The destruction of a dam in Russia’s Belgorod region, attributed to a Ukrainian operation on October 26, disrupted Russian supply lines and left some units stranded.
Poor weather—rain and fog—has further complicated combat, enabling small Russian groups to infiltrate Ukrainian lines under cover of darkness.
A city in flames
High-rise buildings have become key strongholds for both sides, as snipers and drone operators fight from rooftops across the cityscape.
Pokrovsk, once a bustling industrial hub, now lies in ruins—a symbol of the relentless urban warfare tearing through eastern Ukraine.
Every block is contested, street by street, the fight for Pokrovsk unfolds amid total devastation. The city, residents say, no longer truly exists, yet continues to defend itself.
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation
