Russia’s efforts to take control of the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub in the Donetsk region, may be shifting, according to a frontline soldier defending the area.
A drone unit sergeant of the 155th Brigade, “Dzhokhar” told RFE/RL’s Current Time that invaders are unlikely to relish the prospect of urban warfare amid the vast ruins of Pokrovsk.
A once-buzzing city of 60,000, the municipality has few features left that would be recognizable from its life before Russia’s war on Ukraine.
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With Pokrovsk In Ruins, A Ukrainian Soldier Warns That Russians May Bypass It
“The Shevchenkivskiy district is completely destroyed, the railway station neighborhood, too,” said “Dzhokhar. “All the nine-story buildings have collapsed. The height gets in their way, so they level them.”
Speaking on a phone recording he shared with Current Time, he was blunt in his survey of the city: “Everything is f***ing destroyed.”
Ukrainian soldiers and civilians here have seen massively escalating air attacks from Russia that seem to hit the city indiscriminately.
Officially, Russia maintains it does not target non-military objectives.
Meanwhile, drone attacks numbering in the hundreds each night have become commonplace.
So much so that “Dzhokhar” said he’s not troubled by these often-fatal assaults.
Instead, he explained, “The scariest thing is when the guided bombs come.”
Nor is his unit too concerned about the small bands of Russian soldiers who sometimes manage to get across the Ukrainian front line.
“Worrying about breakthroughs? Nah. If they break through somewhere, they’ll either get hit by our FPV drones or step on our mines.”
Recently, “Dzhokhar” has sensed that a change in tactics may be in the air, he said.
“They’re bypassing Pokrovsk. They may not need to enter the city.”
As Current Time correspondent Borys Sachalko put it, “The Russian Army is trying to outflank Pokrovsk and has seen some success on the northern flank. This progress is evident in Dobropillya, a fairly large town near Pokrovsk. It's seen missile strikes, but recently Russian kamikaze drones have begun to appear here.”
On two days in July, an estimated 100 Russian drones hit Dobropillya, Sachalko said, explaining that it lies on a vital supply route to Pokrovsk.
Ukrainian artillery crews near the city have been kept busy by the constant threats of Russian assaults, both in the air and on the ground.
Individuals are often followed and attacked by Russian drones, soldiers say. And drone teams like that of “Dzhokhar” are at the top of the attackers’ hit lists.
First-person view, or FPV drones, also known as kamikaze drones, offer pinpoint accuracy with the aid of live video feeds.
They also allow pilots to get a bird's-eye view of enemy units on the move – and often those in hiding.
The constant pressure in the Donetsk region has forced Ukraine to spread its troops out over large areas, they say, as each side seeks to establish an advantage while the fighting weather remains ideal.
Meanwhile, months of efforts by the White House to get Russia to agree to cease-fire terms have made little progress, despite increasingly heavy losses.
A win in or around Pokrovsk would bring Russian forces closer to control of the Donetsk region.