The strategic city of Donetsk besieged for months by the Russian army is shaking. The sabotage groups entered the interior, fights “on the ground and in the air”
Soldiers of the Ukrainian National Guard in the 3rd “Spartan” Brigade, near the front line, in the direction of Pokrovsk, Donețk, Ukraine, on August 8, 2025. Photo: Evgeniy Maloletka / AP / Profimedia
Russian sabotage groups are already operating in the city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, where the forces of the two parties collided, the commander of a Ukrainian drone unit announced on Monday, according to Reuters.
Dmitro Lavro, deputy commander of the 25 Aepurted Brigade in Ukraine, states that the battles are “on the ground and air” for the control of the city, Pokrovsk being on the Eastern Front a strategic logistics node for the forces of Kiev.
“The enemy puts pressure on us and we do our best to reject it,” he said. “At this moment, we are equal as forces,” Lavro said.
The Russian army besieges Pokrovsk from the Donetk region for several months, while incremental earnings in eastern and southern Ukraine.
The maps from open sources show the military positions of the Russians indicate that the city is gradually surrounded, in a pliers movement.
Lavro added that the proportion of drones and ammunition made in Ukraine has increased since 2023, as a result of Kiev's efforts to further expand the internal defense industry.
A month ago, the 7th body of rapid intervention of the Aepurted forces in Ukraine announced that Moscow troops near Pokrovsk are trying to secure new positions and expand the “gray area”.
Ukrainian military officials said, at that time, that the Russian army has recently conducted marini experienced in the Pokrovsk area. In fact, in recent weeks, Russian forces have changed their tactics, sending small groups to infiltrate deep into the city, while avoiding direct clashes with Ukrainian troops.
The 7th body of rapid intervention of the aepurted forces had stated that the main objective of the Russian troops in Pokrovsk is to approach the Ukrainian positions of drones and mortars, to disperse the defense forces and to strengthen new positions, while extending the “gray area”.
On the flanks, Russian troops had already intensified the attacks using armored and motorized vehicles, trying to interrupt the supply routes and to circle the Pokrovsk area.
According to Ukrainian officials, almost all homes in Pokrovsk were damaged until August. Despite the pressure, the Ukrainian forces maintained full control over the defensive positions, the Kiev army said.
The Ukrainian air-protective forces had also announced that Russia intends to concentrate troops and equipment in Donets for what it calls a “decisive advance”, in order to conquer the area around three strategic cities: Pokrovsk-Kramatorsk-Sloviansk.
In recent months, the Russian army has intensified terrestrial offensives in eastern Ukraine, some of the most intense struggles concentrating in the Pokrovsk area.
