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Reuters/Thomas Peter
Families with children ordered to leave Pokrovsk as Russians advance
The city of Pokrovsk plays a vital role as a logistical hub for Ukrainian troops in the eastern Donbas region. It is home to an important railway station and is located at the intersection of several major highways.
Russian troops have been trying to capture the city for months, but their advance accelerated this month and they are now believed to be within 10 kilometers (6 miles) of the city.
Before the war, Pokrovsk had about 69,000 residents, many of whom worked in coal mining, metallurgy, and machine building.
Thousands have left in recent months as the Russians advanced, but now families with children are also being ordered to leave. Serhiy Dobriak warned last Monday that civilians have only a week or two to leave.
Ukraine had hoped to divert the Russian military advance in the east by seizing territory in Russia’s Kursk region, but that has not happened. If anything, the Russian offensive has intensified in Pokrovsk and Toretsk in the northeast.
“Pokrovsk is a very important defensive center, a defensive center. If we lose Pokrovsk, the entire front will collapse,” warned military expert Myhaylo Zhirokhov.
Ukraine relies on the city’s rail and road infrastructure to supply and reinforce troops on its eastern front and evacuate the wounded.
If Pokrovsk falls into the hands of Russian troops, it means that these important military tasks will become more complicated.
It would also increase the risk to other strategically important cities such as Chasif Yar, which is located on higher ground and can control surrounding areas.
“If they cut our logistics, then Chasiv Yar is doomed,” said analyst Pavlo Narozhny. “It’s only a matter of time before we have to withdraw our troops from there because we can’t resupply the fighters there.”
Pokrovsk has long served as an important railway hub, serving the needs of the highly industrialized eastern Ukraine.
In fact, it developed around a station that was built in the late 19th century.
After the capture of Donetsk (meaning “Donetsk Coalfield”), the main city in Donbas, in 2014, it became the coal mining capital of Ukraine.
Pokrovsk is home to Ukraine’s largest producer of coking coal. It is vital to the metallurgical industry, which in turn plays a key role in the country’s economy.
Before Russia’s full-scale invasion two and a half years ago, metals were Ukraine’s main export, accounting for 23% of total goods exports.
With the country’s industry damaged by the war, its exports have now fallen to a quarter of that level.
Reuters/Thomas Peter
Pokrovsk has been the target of several Russian attacks in recent weeks
A Ukrainian soldier based in Pokrovsk told the BBC’s Ukrainian Radio podcast that the large number of industrial buildings in Pokrovsk and neighbouring towns such as Mirnohrad would be very useful for Ukraine’s defence.
“It will be a huge challenge to capture the area because it is a highly industrialized area with quite a significant defense line,” said the soldier, named Ostap.
Asked about the possible consequences of the fall of Pokrovsk, he said: “These cities were completely destroyed, many people died and there was a lot of suffering.”
“There will be more cities after that, so I really hope we can stop them on the outskirts of Mirnohrad and Pokrovsk.”
The capture of Pokrovsk also had symbolic significance.
The Kremlin’s media machine will use it to counter the embarrassment of Ukraine seizing territory in Russia’s Kursk border region.
It would also be a major step towards fully occupying Ukraine’s Donetsk region, which Russia claimed as part of its territory in September 2022.
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