Pokrovsk has become a symbol of a new phase of the Russian-Ukrainian war - an urban confrontation without defined lines, where small groups of Russian saboteurs infiltrate the city, disguise themselves as civilians or Ukrainian soldiers and corrode the defenses point by point.
Ukrainian units live in a fog of suspicion and risk, where friend and foe can be a few steps away, writes The Telegraph.
“We passed right by them“, says Ivan, a 21-year-old machine gunner from the “Da Vinci Wolves” unmanned systems unit, remembering the moment when the saboteurs introduced themselves as Ukrainian fighters.
Such situations in Pokrovsk are no longer the exception, but the usual course of events.
A new style of war
Analysts note that the Russian army has switched to a model of "demechanized" warfare. Instead of large offensive columns that drones can easily destroy, the Russians advance in groups of 3-5 people.
"The front line is blurring", explains Finnish analyst Emil Kastehelmi.
Russian reconnaissance drones are looking for "holes" in the Ukrainian defense. Due to the lack of personnel and constant surveillance from the sky, these gaps are inevitable. Russian groups enter the city on bicycles, motorcycles, civilian trucks or even on foot, using fog and rain as cover.
Chaos of identification
In the city, it is practically impossible to distinguish the enemy from their own. That is why Ukrainian fighters have revived the old tactic of test words that are difficult for the Russians to pronounce. One of the key ones is "palyanitsa".
But even that does not always save.
Ukrainian troops risk opening fire on civilians or their own units. One commander recalls a case when fighters were forbidden to shoot at an infantry fighting vehicle because "it was theirs". Later it turned out that this was a Russian machine - it was destroyed by a drone only after clarification.
In another episode, a Ukrainian brigade mistakenly destroyed its own ground drones - "Termites".
The growing threat and losses among drone pilots
Drones have become a key weapon in the city: they detect saboteurs and strike at their hideouts. Therefore, Russian groups are the first to try to reach the positions of Ukrainian UAV operators and kill them.
"Our second echelon is not working, but it is delivering 90% of the strikes," the military says. Without these strikes, it is more difficult for the Ukrainians to destroy reconnaissance groups on the approach to the city.
Gray zones and loss of control
According to the "Deep State" project, Russia already controls at least half of Pokrovsk, the remaining territories are a gray zone. No area is completely under Ukrainian control.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky estimated the number of enemy saboteurs in the city at 300, but the military believes the real figure is higher.
Ukraine tries to stabilize the situation
Ukrainian troops have deployed elite units to the city. Azov tried to stabilize the front in the summer, and GRU special forces arrived on "Black Hawks" to restore logistics. But the Russian tactic of slow, steady penetration is paying off.
Pokrovsk remains a key point ahead of potential Russian strikes on Kramatorsk and Slavyansk. However, analysts do not expect a rapid Russian breakthrough - the infiltration tactic is slow.
“If you just move the infantry forward, you will be stopped at some level”, explains Castelhelmi.
The capture of Pokrovsk in itself does not open the way for Russia to quickly seize Donbas. However, this tactic has one dangerous advantage: it is extremely difficult to stop.
Pokrovsk
As UNIAN reported, the situation in the Pokrovsk direction remains quite difficult due to the huge number of Russian attacks.
The DeepState project reported that Russian propagandists have already arrived and have begun filming reports from the center and south of Pokrovsk. In the video you can see how the locals thank the Russians for the arrival of the "Russian world".