Reuters/Thomas PeterThe city of Pokrovsk performs an important function as a logistical hub for Ukrainian forces within the jap Donbass area. It’s residence to an vital railway station and is on the intersection of a number of vital roads.
Russian forces have been making an attempt to seize the city for months, however their advance accelerated this month and are actually believed to be lower than 10 kilometers (6 miles) away.
Earlier than the battle, Pokrovsk had roughly 69,000 residents, a lot of whom labored in coal mining, metallurgy and machine constructing.
Hundreds of individuals have left in current months because the Russians advance, however now households with kids are additionally being ordered to evacuate. Serhiy Dobriak warned final Monday that civilians would solely have per week or two to evacuate.
Ukraine had hoped to divert Russian forces to the east by seizing territory in Russia’s Kursk area, however this didn’t occur. If something, Russia’s offensive towards Pokrovsk and Toletsk within the northeast has intensified.
“Pokrovsk is a vital hub, a protection middle. If we lose Pokrovsk, all the entrance line will collapse,” navy skilled Mikhailo Zhirokhov warned.
Ukraine depends in town’s rail and highway infrastructure to produce and reinforce its troops on its jap entrance and to evacuate the wounded.
If Pokrovsk falls to Russian forces, these vital navy duties will grow to be extra difficult.
It can additionally enhance the chance to different strategically vital cities, reminiscent of Chasif Yar, which is positioned on a commanding top and may management a wider space.
“In the event that they lower our logistics, then Chasiv Yar will probably be doomed,” mentioned analyst Pavlo Narozhny. “It is solely a matter of time earlier than we’ve got to evacuate as a result of we can’t be capable of resupply the fighters there.”
Pokrovsk has at all times performed an vital function as a railway middle, serving the wants of Ukraine’s extra industrialized jap area.
In truth, it developed round a station constructed on the finish of the nineteenth century.
After the seize of Donetsk, the primary metropolis of Donetsk (Donetsk Coal Basin) in 2014, it grew to become generally known as the coal mining capital of Ukraine.
Pokrovsk is residence to Ukraine’s largest producer of coking coal. It’s critical to the metallurgical business, which performs a key function within the nation’s financial system.
Earlier than Russia’s full-scale invasion two and a half years in the past, metals had been Ukraine’s principal export, accounting for 23% of complete items exports.
Because the nation’s industries had been devastated by the battle, the worth of their exports has now shrunk to 1 / 4 of their unique ranges.
Reuters/Thomas PeterA Ukrainian soldier stationed in Pokrovsk advised the BBC’s Ukraine Radio podcast that the big variety of industrial buildings in neighboring cities reminiscent of Pokrovsk and Mirnohrad was very useful to Ukraine’s defenses.
The soldier named Ostap mentioned: “They’ll face big challenges in occupying this space as a result of this can be a extremely industrialized space with a vital protection line.”
Requested in regards to the potential penalties of the autumn of Pokrovsk, he mentioned: “These cities had been fully destroyed, many individuals died and suffered lots.”
“There will probably be extra cities to comply with, so I actually hope we are able to cease them within the suburbs of Mirnohrad and Pokrovsk.”
The seize of Pokrovsk additionally had symbolic significance.
The Kremlin’s media machine will use it to steadiness the embarrassment of Ukraine’s occupation of territory in Russia’s Kusk border area.
It will even be an vital step in the direction of the complete occupation of Ukraine’s Donetsk area, which Russia declared as a part of its territory as early as September 2022.
