June 06, 2026
Putin says full control of Pokrovsk is “vital” for Moscow’s goals
Ukraine's top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi has estimated that Russia is massing some 150,000 troops in its push to take Pokrovsk
Unlike in Bakhmut, Moscow is relying on encirclement tactics rather than direct assaults
Ukraine has acknowledged that its troops face a difficult position in the strategic eastern city
Ukraine's military says fierce fighting is under way in a part of the city that is key for Kyiv's frontline logistics
It may use Pokrovsk as a base to advance towards Kramatorsk and Sloviansk
Following are key facts about Pokrovsk, which Russians call by its Soviet-era name of Krasnoarmeysk
Moscow says its troops have attacked Ukrainian forces near another city, Kupiansk
