Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday his army was fighting to repel Russian attacks in embattled Pokrovsk city in eastern Donetsk region.
In a nightly video address, Zelenskiy said Pokrovsk, which is a vital road and rail hub in the eastern Ukraine, was the main focus of fighting across the 1,000-kilometre frontline. "All operational directions were covered, with particular focus on Pokrovsk. It receives the most attention," Zelenskiy said, referring to the briefing of Ukraine’s top commander Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Furthermore, Zelenskiy spoke about intense fighting in northern Sumy region where Russian army units have recently advanced across the border. Meanwhile, General Syrskyi spoke about Russia’s summer offensive, warning in a post in Telegram app that Moscow will pay a “maximum price” for this campaign. He described Pokrovsk and five other sectors as among the direction where most fierce fighting is taking place. Russia has been seeking to capture Pokrovsk in the past few months. On Thursday, Russia’s Defence Ministry reported captured villages of Zvirove and Novoekonomichne to the east and west of Pokrovsk. However, the Ukrainian army did not confirm reports of any loss of territory.
With a pre-war population of up to 60,000, Pokrovsk has been evacuated and has less than 1,500 residents today, according to Serhii Dobriak, the head of the city's military administration. Syrskyi in May reported that the Ukrainian army had stabilized the situation around Pokrovsk.
