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Russian troops exploit thick fog to push deeper into Pokrovsk
Dense fog has allowed Russian forces to intensify their offensive in the strategic eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, with Ukrainian officials reporting up to 500 enemy soldiers now operating within its ruins. The weather has severely limited aerial reconnaissance, enabling Moscow's troops to advance in vehicles and on motorbikes-tactics that would normally be swiftly countered by Ukrainian drones.
Ukrainian forces face encirclement risk
Ukraine's 7th Airborne Assault Corps warned that Russian forces are attempting to encircle Ukrainian defenders in Pokrovsk, a city Moscow has targeted for over a year. President Volodymyr Zelensky described the situation as "difficult," while army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi noted a "significant worsening" along the southeastern front in Zaporizhzhia, where Ukraine lost control of three settlements.
A viral video, geolocated by the BBC to the southern outskirts of Pokrovsk, showed Russian soldiers openly driving through fog on civilian vehicles. Ukrainian drone pilot "Goose" from the 68th Brigade confirmed his unit had engaged the convoy, though poor visibility prevented full confirmation of its destruction.
Tactical shifts and infiltration strategies
Russian forces are employing infiltration tactics, including disguising soldiers as locals or Ukrainian troops to sow chaos before launching larger assaults, according to military analyst Kostyantyn Mashovets. He noted that targeted strikes on Ukrainian FPV drone operators have reduced Kyiv's ability to detect smaller enemy groups.
Mapping by the DeepState monitoring group suggests Russian troops now control or contest most of Pokrovsk, with southern districts fully occupied. Ukrainian forces have attempted to prevent encirclement by pushing Russian units back near Suvorove and Rodynske, widening gaps in Moscow's flanks.
"We might hold one building, but the enemy could be in the next. They're trying to get behind our lines."
Ukrainian drone pilot "Goose" (68th Brigade)
Broader frontline pressures
The Kremlin is also escalating attacks in northern Kupyansk and southern Zaporizhzhia. While Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation denied Russian claims of encircling Kupyansk, spokesperson Viktor Tregubov acknowledged enemy presence in the town's southern areas, calling the situation "difficult."
Russian forces continue to target Ukrainian supply routes into Pokrovsk with drones, artillery, and ground assaults, aiming to sever logistical lifelines for defenders.
