MOSCOW: Russian forces are close to taking the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk after a pincer movement almost totally encircled it while small groups of highly mobile Russian units penetrated the city, according to Russian military bloggers. WHAT IS POKROVSK? Pokrovsk is a road and rail hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region with a pre-war population of some 60,000 people. Most people have now fled, all children have been evacuated and few civilians remain. It lies on a key road which has been used by the Ukrainian military.

Ukraine's president confirms Russian soldiers have taken up position inside the town of Pokrovsk.

Pokrovsk, città ucraina del Donetsk orientale, è prossima alla coinquista. I soldati russi hanno quasi completamente circondato la roccaforte ucraina e alcune unità mobili...