(POKROVSK, DONETSK REGION) – A large Russian military column moving toward Pokrovsk was struck by Ukrainian forces following a brief period of heavy fog that had allowed the vehicles to advance undetected. The ambush has led to significant losses for Russian troops operating in the area, according to Ukrainian military officials and analysis of verified video material.
Russian forces had believed they had secured a reliable access route toward Pokrovsk and filmed a video showing a column of motorcycles, buggies and other vehicles advancing through morning fog. The footage was presented by Russian sources as evidence that movement toward the town was possible without Ukrainian interference. Analysts, including those within Russia, noted that such a passage could only occur under extremely poor visibility, as Ukrainian drone operators have maintained near constant surveillance of the approaches to the town.
When conditions improved, Ukrainian drone units detected the Russian column almost immediately and began striking the vehicles. Geolocated footage indicates that the column was hit within minutes, resulting in the destruction of motorcycles, buggies and other light vehicles. At least a dozen vehicles were struck, and explosions were seen across the southern outskirts of Pokrovsk.
Russian soldiers who survived the initial strikes faced further threats inside the town, which Ukrainian forces have turned into a highly monitored environment covered by drones and mining operations. Video recorded inside damaged buildings shows Russian soldiers attempting to hide as Ukrainian drones approach and strike the entrances. In one recording, two drones hit the entryway before a third enters the structure and detonates near a Russian soldier attempting to use a red rubber tourniquet, an item seen repeatedly in footage of Russian casualties.
Additional drone footage shows Ukrainian operators scanning damaged urban areas for heat sources left by remaining Russian soldiers. According to Ukrainian reports, this effort aims to locate isolated groups that entered Pokrovsk during the fog and later became stranded.
Ukrainian military officers say Russian troops were ordered to move along a high risk route that was exposed to fire from Ukrainian positions in Myrnohrad. The movement was intended to demonstrate that Russian forces had secured the area, a claim that has appeared frequently in Russian military commentary. However, the route exposed the vehicles and infantry to both drones and ground fire, leading Ukrainian analysts to describe the decision as a miscalculation.
A second Russian video, filmed by a soldier after the strike, shows him stating that the town has become a kill zone, with no safe shelter, no coordination and significant numbers of casualties. His description reflects what Ukrainian officials call a breakdown in Russian command structure and planning.
According to the Ukrainian Seventh Air Assault Corps, they estimate that more than three hundred Russian soldiers are inside Pokrovsk attempting to reach the northern sections of the town and link up with units near Myrnohrad. Russian sources have suggested different figures, but independent verification remains limited. Ukrainian officials say the soldiers who entered Pokrovsk during the fog are cut off and facing shortages of support, while Ukrainian forces continue to target any movement in the area.
Ukrainian engineers have continued to mine access routes around the town. A separate video released by Russian sources shows a tank moving toward a firing position near Pokrovsk and detonating a mine shortly after entering open ground. The blast sent debris into the air, revealing the risks faced by Russian vehicles attempting to move in the area.
Pokrovsk has become a contested zone where Ukrainian forces continue to deny Russian movement by combining drone operations with layered minefields. The Ukrainian military says it remains committed to preventing Russian units from moving above the railway line, which it considers a key defensive barrier.
The broader situation around the town reflects a pattern seen in earlier battles south of Pokrovsk, where Ukrainian defenders used similar methods to hold their positions and inflict significant losses on Russian units. Ukrainian officers say they intend to maintain this strategy to contain Russian attempts to push deeper into the region.