Maria Honcharenko, a 69-year-old resident of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, is reluctantly leaving her home with just a small bag and her two kittens. After staying in the city for most of her life, she has decided to evacuate as Russian forces close in. “My heart stops when I hear a bang,” she says, tears in her eyes, clutching an old push-button phone with emergency contacts saved.
The front line is now less than 8 kilometers from Pokrovsk. According to Serhiy Dobryak, head of the city’s military administration, Russian forces are not only targeting the city with ballistic missiles and rocket launchers but have now escalated to guided bombs and artillery strikes.
Volunteers assist Ms. Honcharenko as she boards an evacuation bus. With no trains running, the bus is one of the last lifelines out of the city. Pokrovsk, a crucial transportation hub, is at risk of falling into Russian hands, which would sever a key supply route and likely force Ukrainian forces to retreat from nearby Chasiv Yar. The fall of Pokrovsk could mean the loss of nearly the entire Donetsk region, a major blow in the ongoing conflict.
The Ukrainian military recently admitted that its incursion into Russia’s Kursk region failed to divert Russian troops from the eastern front. On Sunday, Russia claimed control over the village of Novohrodivka, just 10 kilometers from Pokrovsk, though Kyiv has yet to confirm this.
The evacuation bus quickly fills with people, including a woman and her five-year-old daughter, who are fleeing for the second time since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. The city, once home to 48,000 people, is rapidly emptying. Shops, cafes, and even the hospital have been evacuated, leaving Pokrovsk eerily quiet.
Despite the dire situation, Ukrainian forces continue to resist. Lt Col Oleh Demyanenko, commander of the 110th Brigade, reports that the front line on the northern flank has been stabilized, though intense fighting continues on the southern flank. In nearby Selidove, Ukrainian artillery units are relentlessly defending against Russian assaults. Using an old American M-101 howitzer from World War II, they fire up to 200 rounds a day to repel enemy forces.
The battle for Pokrovsk is far from over. The city remains a top priority for Moscow, with a significant imbalance in the ratio of forces favoring Russia. As the evacuation bus carrying Ms. Honcharenko and others departs, they face an uncertain future but are hopeful for safety in a new home away from the front lines.