President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Friday, Nov. 7, that Russia’s intensified assault on Pokrovsk is aimed not only at battlefield gains but at shaping a political narrative designed to pressure Western partners into forcing Ukraine to surrender Donbas.
Speaking at a briefing in Kyiv attended by Kyiv Post, Zelensky said Moscow needs to seize the city “to promote the narrative that they can allegedly take Donbas, and to call on Western countries to force Ukraine to give Donbas to Russia.”
The president said he believes Russia is using the situation around Pokrovsk to influence international decision-making, particularly sanctions policy.
“It can affect the push for sanctions, or the delay of sanctions,” he said. “Russia is very afraid of strong US decisions, and with this story about Pokrovsk they want to show success on the battlefield.”
According to Zelensky, Russia’s top priority is to capture Pokrovsk “as quickly as possible.”
He said Ukrainian forces repelled 220 assaults on the city in just three days, underscoring the intensity of the fighting.
On Nov. 5, Russian troops attempted to storm the city using armored vehicles but “suffered losses and lost equipment,” Zelensky said.
Ukrainian military data indicate that 314 Russian soldiers remain inside the city.
Fierce fighting continues around Pokrovsk as of Friday, where Ukrainian special forces and intelligence units are battling a major Russian assault.
Both sides have claimed gains in recent days, but Kyiv says Russian troops are suffering heavy losses.
Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said Monday that Ukrainian forces are intensifying pressure on Russian positions near Dobropillia to disrupt Moscow’s offensive.
Zelensky also reported that Russian forces suffered 25,000 confirmed personnel losses in October due to Ukrainian drones — the highest monthly toll since the start of the full-scale invasion.
The president said an additional 2,000–3,000 enemy casualties lack video confirmation but are considered likely.
“This shows that we are increasing the number of drones on the front line,” he added. “Accordingly, the enemy is taking greater losses.”