The military administration of the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast on Aug. 15 called on residents to evacuate immediately, as the Russian army was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the city's outskirts.
Moscow began concentrating its efforts in the east, "throwing everything they have" in the Pokrovsk direction after Russia's Kharkiv Oblast offensive failed, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in late July.
Pokrovsk is an important logistical hub for the Ukrainian forces that supports their operations in Donetsk Oblast.
"We see that today the enemy is close to our community, to the city of Pokrovsk. Just a little over 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the outskirts of Pokrovsk," Serhii Dobriak, the head of Pokrovsk's military administration, said.
Dobriak called on the city's residents, including families with children and the elderly, to evacuate immediately.
Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin, in early August, announced an evacuation of over 700 children from four communities in Donetsk Oblast as heavy battles continued in the direction of Pokrovsk.
As Russian forces concentrate more of their recourses on the offensive in Donetsk Oblast, the situation in the area in the Pokrovsk direction remains "extremely challenging," Kyiv acknowledged.
Russian forces have been slowly but consistently gaining ground in Donetsk Oblast, and the front-line areas of Pokrovsk and Toretsk have borne the brunt of attacks in recent weeks.
Francis Farrell
