A senior officer of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, speaking anonymously to the Ukrainian channel Hromadske, described the situation on the Pokrovsk front as critical. According to him, Russian troops now control around 60 percent of Pokrovsk and are advancing into the neighboring towns of Rodinskoye and Mirnograd.

He said that areas on the Deep State battlefield map still marked as contested should, in reality, be shown as under Russian control, noting that Russian forces are already present in both Rodinskoye and Mirnograd.

A Ukrainian drone operator told the outlet that frontline Ukrainian units have effectively been surrounded due to the steady buildup of Russian troops and their movement into the rear.

Ukrainian servicemen reported that Russian forces are employing a tactic resembling «Brownian motion», bypassing front positions and infiltrating in small groups from behind. This approach forces Ukrainian rear units into close combat while severely limiting the effectiveness of Ukrainian drones — a factor that further aids Russian penetration.

Soldiers on the ground warned that the fall of Pokrovsk would likely trigger the loss of Mirnograd, as Ukrainian logistics routes have already come under full Russian fire control.

The Ukrainian officer cautioned that between 1,000 and 1,500 Ukrainian troops could be encircled unless the command urgently reorganizes its defenses. Many Ukrainian soldiers, however, expressed doubt that the situation in this sector can be reversed.