The prolonged defense of Pokrovsk will help to deter the offensive on Dnipropetrovsk region and the Kramatorsk-Sloviansk agglomeration. The battle for Pokrovsk could repeat the battle for Bakhmut and significantly exhaust the Russian forces.October summaryOver the week, the number of combat engagements remained at the same high level as in previous weeks. However, due to Russian forces attacking a record 100 times in the Pokrovsk direction on Wednesday, that day became the most intense of 2025. On this day, 276 battles took place, almost a quarter of all battles for the week. Dynamics of occupation, photo: EspresoIn October, the Russian offensive continued to stall. The Russian forces managed to occupy 253 km², which is almost the same as in September and half less than each month during the summer offensive. In October, to avoid being left in the fields for winter, the Russian enemy tried to enter all frontline cities: Kostiantynivka, Lyman, and Siversk, but only managed to advance into Kupiansk and Pokrovsk. Due to worsening weather, columns of tanks and armored vehicles again advanced on Ukrainian forces, and consequently, their destruction rates doubled – over 300 units in total. Thus, the number of neutralized enemy soldiers increased to 31,250. This is certainly better than in the previous two months, but still insufficient to cover the average monthly mobilization rate of 35,000. ENEMY LOSSES IN MANPOWER, photo: EspresoOne of the most important outcomes of October was the work of the Unmanned Systems Forces, which managed to set a personal record for eliminating Russian soldiers – over 8,000, which is almost a quarter of the total. This is despite the fact that Unmanned Systems Forces fighters constitute only 2% of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Commander Madyar stated that his goal is to increase the number of forces to 5% and announced a mass recruitment into their ranks.Vovchansk – dam did not stop themDespite Ukrainian forces blowing up the dam on the Siversky Donets at the reservoir near Belgorod, the flooding of Russian positions was temporary. After repairing the dam, they continued their offensive in the Vovchansk direction. In particular, they not only managed to gain a foothold on the right bank of the Vovcha River but also advanced 2.5 km to the village of Synelnykove. Thus, the Russian forces flanked the defenders of Vovchansk and will try to push through the city's defenses from the west. Stabilizing the situation has not yet been possible.Ukraine Russia war live map, November 1- 8, photo: EspresoKupiansk – Ukrainian forces breaking through to OskilChaos continues in the city due to the large number of Russian forces who previously broke through to Kupiansk. Most of the city is in a gray zone, and the enemy is trying to consolidate on key highways. At the same time, the Ukrainian Defense Forces are gradually clearing house by house. But the most important development is the breakthrough of Ukrainian forces north of Kupiansk. Here, Ukrainian soldiers managed to dislodge the enemy from their positions between Radkivka and Kivsharivka in the direction of Oskil. The main goal is to reach the river and cut off the supply of forces and means to Kupiansk. If Ukrainian forces manage to consolidate here, the destruction of Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups in the city will be a matter of time. Ukraine Russia war live map, November 1- 8, photo: EspresoMeanwhile, the Russian army is trying to push us out of the left bank of the Oskil. And although this process is quite slow, there is not much territory left under the control of the Defense Forces. This week, Russian forces managed to break through Ukrainian defenses in two places: east of Kupiansk near Stepova Novoselivka, and in the Borivska Andriivka area. The Russian Armed Forces want to maximize their control along the Oskil to gain more opportunities to cross it.Ukraine Russia war live map, November 1- 8, photo: EspresoDobropillia – one less encirclementSlowly, but surely, the Ukrainian Defense Forces are clearing out the Russian troops who found themselves encircled between Shakhove and Nove Shakhove. At the beginning of the week, there were two encirclements here. Now, one has been completely eliminated, and the other is dynamically shifting. While Ukrainian forces are pressing from the west, Russian forces are breaking through to the east, towards Shakhove. On the other hand, the enemy is advancing and has made progress in the direction of Volodymyrivka, and the gray zone has again expanded to the village streets. The encircled Russian forces do not give up hope of breaking through to their own, although this is unlikely.Ukraine Russia war live map, November 1- 8, photo: EspresoPokrovsk – the main battle of the yearEvery day, a third of all battles on the front take place here, and Ukrainian and Russian forces have concentrated their best units and technologies on this battlefield. 90% of Pokrovsk has turned into a gray zone, indicating the presence of Russian forces intermingled with Ukrainian Defense Forces. Russian forces controlled about 30% of Pokrovsk, and Ukrainian forces – 20% – everything else is a gray zone controlled only by drones. Ukraine Russia war live map, November 1- 8, photo: EspresoThe Russian Armed Forces are trying to encircle the city and break through to key logistical locations. To the west, this is Hryshyne. Russia is continuously trying to take control of Ukrainian logistics, which pass through the village. Recently, the Main Intelligence Directorate’s special forces, with the involvement of at least two Black Hawk helicopters, conducted an airborne operation near Russian positions and recaptured our positions. However, the situation remains critical. Especially since Russian forces broke through north of Udachne and may try to cut off our logistics not in Hryshyne, but further north. Ukraine Russia war live map, November 1- 8, photo: EspresoIn the city center, counter-battles are ongoing, but currently, Russian forces do not have full control. This was demonstrated by the soldiers of the Skala assault unit, who passed through the entire central part of the city and recaptured the city council, raising the blue and yellow flag on it. It is likely that Russian forces have already reoccupied the building, but this demonstration proves that no one has full control over the city. Ukraine Russia war live map, November 1- 8, photo: EspresoOn the southern flank, the situation remains extremely critical. After consolidating in the Shakhtarske and Sonyachne micro-districts, Russian forces continued their offensive on the villages located between Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad: Rih, Hnativka, Novopavlivka, and Chunyshine. These villages have entered the gray zone, and battles are being fought in their streets. Ukrainian soldiers, who held the front line in the villages of Dachynske, Lysivka, and Sukhyi Yar for over a year, have effectively lost the ability to receive supplies and are also under threat of encirclement. If the situation north of them does not change in the near future and the eastern and southern districts of Pokrovsk are not cleared of Russian forces, a withdrawal operation will have to be carried out. The Russian army is trying to break through to the village of Rivne, near which the main logistical routes are concentrated. To the east, Myrnohrad maintains a circular defense. Battles that were previously fought on its eastern outskirts in the villages of Balahan, Kozatske, and Promin have gradually reached the first blocks of the city. From the direction of Promin and Kozatske, battles are already being fought within Myrnohrad.However, the most tactically important blow for the Russian Armed Forces to encircle the agglomeration was the advance through Chervonyi Lyman and Rodynske, in order to reach the northern outskirts of the city. Russian forces had a small advance in Chervonyi Lyman, but their plans were thwarted by a counterattack by the Ukrainian Defense Forces, who managed to completely push the enemy out of Rodynske and clear the village. Given that Ukrainian forces are conducting a successful operation in the Dobropillia area further north, the Russian forces risk not only disrupting all their plans to encircle Pokrovsk but also finding themselves encircled. Despite the successful defense of Myrnohrad, if Russian forces manage to cut off logistics in the Rivne or Rodynske area, or if the battle for Pokrovsk ends earlier, it will be the first large city that Ukrainian forces will be forced to surrender without a fight "for every house." Currently, the Russian plan to encircle the city has failed, although at one point the distance between the uncontrolled territories ranged from 3 to 7 km. But the 7th Airborne Assault Corps reported the successful clearing of the northern districts from the enemy, as well as an advance into the central districts of the city. Now, Russian forces are trying to execute their plan and maximally fill the city with sabotage and reconnaissance groups and advance on the flanks. The Ukrainian Defense Forces have stabilized the situation on the flanks and are advancing through the central development. The best-case scenario would be if Ukrainian forces can stabilize the situation along the main street of Defenders of Ukraine. If this does not happen, the next line will be the railway track. The battle for Pokrovsk will definitely be decisive in this war for the Donetsk region. Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi personally came to lead the operation. However, there is currently no precise definition of whether this is an operation to liberate Pokrovsk and clear out the Russian forces infiltrated into it, or an operation of a gradual, with battles, but still withdrawal from the city. Currently, the scales can tip in either direction at any moment. To deter Russian forces, 3 lines of defense have already been built behind Pokrovsk, and 2 more are under construction.Ukraine Russia war live map, November 1- 8, photo: EspresoOffensive on HuliaipoleFierce battles continued along the Yanchur River for a whole week. Russian forces who crossed the river tried to consolidate on the right bank, and Ukrainian forces tried to destroy them and push them back to the left bank. Although, frankly, our military forces and means are significantly lacking in this sector of the front. The main battles were fought on the streets of the villages of Pavlivka and Uspenivka. Here, Russian forces managed not only to establish significant control over the area but also to advance 3-4 km deep into Zaporizhzhia and spread the gray zone to the villages of Solodke, Nove, and Novouspenivske. If they manage to consolidate here, the defense along the Yanchur River will effectively collapse, and the Ukrainian Defense Forces will have to prepare closely for the defense of Huliaipole.The maps are created based on information received from the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ General Staff, as well as from other open and verified sources. At the same time, the maps are not maximally accurate and only conditionally reflect trends in the combat zone.