Parts of the city of Pokrovsk will be blocked off due to defense preparations, Serhii Dobriak, head of the Pokrovsk military administration, told Suspilne on Oct. 30.
The embattled front-line city of Pokrovsk has been a focal point of Russia's offensive in the Donetsk sector in recent months. The city is a key logistics hub for Ukrainian forces.
"Fortifications are being built in Pokrovsk, and we are already entering the city, and certain areas of the city will be blocked, so please leave these areas, not entering or leaving the city," Dobriak said.
"Several echelons have already been built in the city, which will partially block the streets and neighborhoods of Pokrovsk."
Entry and exit to the city will not be entirely blocked, Dobriak said, clarifying earlier remarks on national television.
Dobriak's announcement follows reports that Russia has captured the nearby town of Selydove. While Ukraine has not officially confirmed the claims, an expert told the Kyiv Independent that Selydove is effectively "lost."
The loss of Selydove is dire news for Pokrovsk, which lies only around 18 kilometers (11 miles) northwest. Russian forces have been inching toward Pokrovsk for the past couple of months, gaining territory despite mounting losses.
Much of the city infrastructure has already been destroyed, Dobriak said.
"The infrastructure is 80% destroyed. Power supply is available in 60% of Pokrovsk, it is absent in six settlements and the town of Rodynske," he said.
"The wounded are taken to Dobropillia, we have family doctors and a city hospital. There are 325 wells in the city, including 9 points of free drinking water. The utility company also delivers water, and UNICEF has been helping to deliver water for two weeks."
According to Dobriak, 11,900 people, including 55 children, remain in Pokrovsk as of Oct. 30. Evacuations are ongoing.
Before Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Pokrovsk had a population of around 60,000.
Chris York
