Concerns are mounting in Ukraine over the growing threat of encirclement for its forces near Pokrovsk. The German newspaper Bild, citing sources within the Ukrainian military, reported that Russian troops continue to press forward in this area of the front.

According to the publication, serious anxiety is spreading among Ukrainian military circles amid fears of a potential defeat. The central question now, as Bild notes, is whether Ukrainian units could end up surrounded. At the same time, criticism has again been directed at President Vladimir Zelensky, who is accused of failing to authorize a withdrawal that many within the army believe should have happened long ago.

The article describes Russian forces as advancing steadily and systematically, tightening the noose around Ukrainian positions. Fighting in the area remains intense.

The newspaper adds that Ukraine’s intelligence and military leadership are increasingly alarmed by developments around Pokrovsk and Mirnograd — two cities that together had a prewar population of roughly 106,000 people.

Earlier reports indicated that Kyiv’s decision to hold Pokrovsk at any cost has created an extremely dangerous situation. As a result, Ukrainian troops have become effectively trapped, and any attempt to retreat now could lead to devastating losses.