Russia claims that Ukrainian troops in Pokrovsk and Kupiansk are surrounded and should surrender, while continuing to advance in the Donbas region.

Russia has declared that Ukrainian troops in the cities of Pokrovsk and Kupiansk are surrounded and have no chance of survival, demanding that they surrender. Moscow has been trying to conquer Pokrovsk, considered a gateway to Donetsk, since 2024, as part of a strategy to take control of the Donbas region, where Ukrainian forces currently control about 10% of the territory.

Russia's tactics include pincer movements, which have created a gray area of ambiguity, complicating Ukraine's defense. Maps show that Russian forces are just a few kilometers away from the complete encirclement of Pokrovsk and control part of Kupiansk. The Russian Ministry of Defense has contradicted President Zelensky's claims, asserting that Ukrainian positions are rapidly deteriorating. Russia now controls over 19% of Ukraine's territory, advancing in the Kharkov and Dnipropetrovsk regions.