Ukrainian footage shows a Russian convoy destroyed near Pokrovsk, with dozens of vehicles burning and drone imagery surveying the wreckage. Kyiv says it still holds northern positions in the city, which had a pre-war population of about 60,000. Ukrainian commanders reported a large mechanised assault and cited high numbers of Russian forces in the area, but analysts warn that fortified nearby cities make a wider frontline collapse unlikely. Pokrovsk’s fate remains a key issue in US-mediated peace talks.
Ukrainian Footage Shows Russian Convoy Destroyed Near Pokrovsk Amid Intense Fighting
Vladimir Putin recently claimed Pokrovsk had fallen to Russian troops - Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP
Ukrainian sources released footage showing what they say is an entire Russian column destroyed as it tried to enter Pokrovsk, Donetsk region. The videos show scores of military vehicles burning along a road while a drone surveys the wreckage, and earlier clips appear to capture strikes — reportedly including cluster munitions — on troops and vehicles.
The battle for the strategic logistics hub has been ongoing for more than a year. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently claimed Pokrovsk had fallen; Ukrainian officials say the statement was made during peace talks and dispute the claim. Kyiv maintains its forces still hold positions in the northern sector of the city, which had a pre-war population of roughly 60,000.
Reported Assault and Local Fighting
On Wednesday, Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Response Corps described an unusually large mechanised assault inside Pokrovsk, saying convoys of armoured vehicles, cars and motorcycles attempted to push from the south toward the city’s northern areas. Moscow is reported to have massed forces in the wider area — figures of roughly 156,000 troops have been cited in some reports — though such totals should be treated as estimates.
"The Russians used armoured vehicles, cars and motorcycles. The convoys attempted to break through from the south to the northern part of the city," Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Response Corps said.
Pokrovsk sits on elevated ground and is seen by Moscow as a potential gateway to the rest of the Donbas — territory President Putin demands Ukraine cede in any negotiated settlement. Analysts caution, however, that even if Pokrovsk were captured, a broader frontline collapse is unlikely: Ukraine has spent years reinforcing a nearby defensive "fortress belt" that includes Kramatorsk, Sloviansk, Kostyantynivka and Druzhkivka.
Diplomacy and Wider Stakes
The city's fate remains central to US-mediated peace talks. President Putin has demanded Kyiv relinquish the remaining territory in Donbas not already under Russian control — a demand President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected. US President Donald Trump has indicated he may travel to Europe for talks with Zelensky and other leaders to try to advance a deal, saying he hopes to secure an agreement by Christmas but will only travel if the trip can meaningfully progress negotiations.
Independent verification of battlefield footage can be difficult in active combat zones. The available videos and official statements reflect the fog of war: they offer insight into evolving frontline dynamics but should be treated as part of a larger, developing picture.
