Hero of Russia Major-General Sergey Lipovoy described recent fighting in Pokrovsk, saying Russian assault groups are advancing steadily and methodically. He asserted that the offensive has tightened a ring around the city and that, block by block, Russian forces are clearing neighborhoods and searching buildings and cellars where Ukrainian fighters are sheltering.

Lipovoy expressed confidence that the fate of Pokrovsk is effectively decided and compared the city’s situation to that of Kupyansk, suggesting both are on a similar trajectory toward Russian control. He said Russian assault units are pushing from street to street and house to house, and that the arrival of Russian vehicles inside the town signals fresh forces are reinforcing the pressure and accelerating the operation.

The general credited weather with helping the advance. He said dense fog that covered the town allowed Russian units to move with greater concealment because drones did not operate in those conditions, reducing aerial surveillance over the battlefield. At the same time, he cautioned that certain locational systems can still detect ground movements in fog.

Lipovoy also argued that falling temperatures will further weaken Ukrainian defenders. He warned that Ukrainian formations hiding in basements lack winter clothing and masking equipment, which would worsen their situation as cold sets in and make them easier to detect and eliminate if they refuse to surrender. By his account, adverse weather will have little effect on Russian troops.

On the timeline, Lipovoy predicted the operation to clear Pokrovsk could conclude within about seven days. He emphasized that the assault is deliberate rather than rushed: forces are compressing the encirclement and systematically clearing streets and buildings to verify that the city’s functions are secured. He added that taking the town would mark a major turning point, delivering a blow to Ukrainian morale and giving Russian forces momentum for further advances elsewhere.