A Ukrainian serviceman of the National Police Special Purpose Battalion prepares to fire a howitzer towards Russian troops at a position in a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region, Ukraine November 20, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer
KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine said on Friday its forces were holding defensive lines in the northern part of the embattled eastern city of Pokrovsk and were blocking attempts by Russian troops to advance further.
Moscow's forces have ground towards the logistics hub for months to try to capture Pokrovsk, which Russian media has dubbed as the "gateway" to Ukraine's industrial Donbas region.
The chief of Russia's general staff said late on Thursday that Russian troops had taken 70% of the city, as well as the entire northeastern city of Kupiansk - claims Ukraine swiftly denied.
In a statement on Friday, Kyiv's 7th Rapid Response Corps said it was inflicting heavy losses on Russian troops and bolstering its own forces, including with drone units.
"The enemy is trying to cross the railway to increase the area of occupation of the city, but our troops are blocking these attempts," it said.
"The enemy's troops in Pokrovsk are being ground down. As a result, the enemy is having to replenish its losses among personnel."
Ukrainian open-source mapping group Deep State showed on Friday that Russian troops have pushed across the rail line running through Pokrovsk in two parts of the city, the first on November 14, and the second on November 20.
Russian forces, which currently hold about 19% of Ukraine's territory, have also made recent gains further south in Zaporizhzhia region.
(Reporting by Dan Peleschuk; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
