Russian forces are less than 7 kilometers (4 miles) from the outskirts of the town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast as of Oct. 4, said Serhii Dobriak, the head of Pokrovsk's military administration.
The eastern front near Pokrovsk has been the scene of fierce fighting for several months and a focal point of Russia's offensive in Donetsk Oblast. The city is an important logistical hub for Ukrainian forces.
Speaking on national television, Dobriak said that Russia attacked civilian infrastructure in Pokrovsk with guided aerial bombs a day earlier, injuring people.
"(Critical infrastructure) is damaged or destroyed by almost 80%. The enemy leaves us without electricity, water, and gas," he added.
Residents of the northern part of Donetsk Oblast will be left without water supply for an "indefinite period" due to Russian attacks, Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin said on Oct. 3.
Around 13,000 people, including 94 children, remain in Pokrovsk as the evacuation is ongoing. The town had a population of around 60,000 in January 2022.
As the security situation deteriorates, Pokrovsk's train station was closed for civilian evacuations earlier this month. Evacuations now depart from the train station in Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a city 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Pokrovsk.
Francis Farrell
