Russian forces have been trying to seize the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region for more than 17 months, but Ukrainian troops are holding their positions.
Ukraine’s Forces are holding the northern part of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region and control Myrnohrad, the Armed Forces’ “East” grouping said on Facebook.
According to the “East” grouping, Ukrainian defenders are conducting search-and-assault operations in Pokrovsk, and say they are eliminating Russian occupiers on the outskirts of Myrnohrad.
Units of Ukraine’s Defense Forces in the “East” grouping’s area of responsibility repelled 65 Russian assaults on January 9, 2026, 43 of them on the Pokrovsk axis. Fighting around Pokrovsk took place near Razino, Shakhove, Nikanorivka, Rodynske, Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Filiia and other settlements. On this axis, the Russian army suffered 60 irrecoverable losses, the grouping said.
On the Pokrovsk axis, the Russians also lost a tank, a multiple launch rocket system, five vehicles and 68 drones. Ukrainian troops struck six Russian personnel shelters. Overall, in the “East” grouping’s area over the past day, Russian forces lost 250 personnel, a tank, 1,130 drones of various types and 50 other pieces of weaponry and equipment. Ukrainian forces also hit 37 Russian UAV crews, the statement reads.
One of the main challenges for Ukraine’s Defense Forces on the Pokrovsk axis is logistics. Russian forces are trying to cut supply and evacuation routes, heavily using drones to do so. Ukrainian troops are establishing new logistics routes into Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad.
In early December 2025, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported to Vladimir Putin that its forces had fully captured Pokrovsk. That proved to be another false claim by the ministry.
