Ukrainian defenders are holding their ground and preventing enemy infantry from establishing a foothold in Pokrovsk, the General Staff stated.Over 300 Russians have broken into Pokrovsk and are attempting to reach its northern borders, according to the 7th Corps of the Air Assault Forces. They took advantage of poor weather conditions and entered the city in light vehicles through the southern outskirts. Due to dense fog, aerial reconnaissance is difficult, but Ukraine's Defense Forces continue to detect and destroy enemy groups even in low visibility conditions.The invading Russian forces tried to use this situation to improve their position near Pokrovsk. These attempts were unsuccessful.The fog significantly complicates the use of FPV drones by both sides—both Ukrainian defenders and the Russians. However, the invaders continue to suffer colossal losses in the Pokrovsk direction, and all their plans to capture Pokrovsk are being thwarted by the concentrated and precise strikes of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.We all remember the video from the Russian side that they posted on social media. It was about a column of Russian soldiers entering Pokrovsk under the cover of fog. This column was destroyed, and the Russian side confirmed it. For instance, Russian propagandist Arutyunov described that all that was left of the column was a mountain of "two-hundreds" (killed soldiers). In other words, we are talking about the mass destruction of personnel. This is the very factor that affects the intensity of the fighting. That is, the concentrated strikes of the Ukrainian Defense Forces reduce the capabilities of the Russian occupiers.A second example is no less striking. Fighters of the Phoenix unit repelled an enemy assault in the Pokrovsk direction. The Russian army tried to take advantage of the weather conditions and launch an offensive in the area of the village of Volodymyrivka using more than ten units of armored vehicles. Ukrainian defenders also destroyed this enemy column. Fighters of the Phoenix unit destroyed 11 units of enemy equipment—nine units of heavy armored vehicles and two tanks—and also eliminated over 60 soldiers. In this case, the invaders similarly tried to use the difficult weather conditions, i.e., the fog. But, as always, it didn't work out. They wanted, as usual, to slip through on a Russian "hope for the best," but were met with a decisive rebuff.Another telling example. Russia was accumulating forces in the village of Zatyshok under the cover of weather conditions. But units of the Special Operations Forces destroyed the personnel accumulation point of the 51st Army of the Russian Federation. Moreover, they were eliminated specifically by drones, despite the fog.Soldiers from the 1st and 9th motorized rifle brigades were in one of the buildings. The Russian army was accumulating forces under the cover of weather conditions. And at the moment of their maximum concentration, the building was hit by attack drones. The occupiers' losses amounted to dozens of personnel. The task of the 51st Army of the Russian Federation is to encircle the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad agglomeration from the north."Despite the unfavorable weather conditions, the drones successfully reached their targets. The Special Operations Forces continue to take asymmetric actions to reduce the offensive capabilities of the Russian Federation," stated the Command of the Special Operations Forces.In addition, Ukrainian defenders destroyed the highway connecting the occupied city of Selydove with Pokrovsk, which the Russians used to move equipment and personnel.An airstrike was carried out on this highway. And subsequently, the Ukrainian Defense Forces followed up with other means of attack.It is precisely such colossal Russian losses that affect the intensity of the fighting in the Pokrovsk direction."According to former Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev, from January to November 2025, 336,000 citizens signed contracts with the Russian army. And according to British intelligence, during the same period, the losses of the occupying army amounted to 353,000. That is, the number of losses even exceeds the number of new contract soldiers."An analysis of Russian public forums shows an interesting trend: mobilized soldiers are massively recording videos stating that if information appears that they have allegedly signed a contract, it was done under pressure, without their consent.This is where the "contract soldiers" come from: not from patriotism, but under threats from commanders. Either you sign a contract, or you get "zeroed"—simply shot. This practice leads to demoralization and an increase in desertion. According to the Russian side itself, more than 70,000 people have already deserted from the army.According to Russian data, the average lifespan of a so-called stormtrooper is 12 days. Imagine how much "cannon fodder" Russia needs to maintain constant pressure on the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.Currently, heavy fighting is taking place in the urban areas of Pokrovsk, particularly in the area of the feed mill. The Russians are trying to break through to the meat processing plant. Their main goal is to create a threat of operational encirclement, to take control of the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. But the Ukrainian command had calculated these options in advance. By order of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief, special units of the Main Intelligence Directorate, the Special Operations Forces, and other elements of the Defense Forces have been transferred to Pokrovsk. Their task is to unblock logistics and expand the zone of control.Some Western media outlets were quick to declare that the battle for Pokrovsk was supposedly nearing its end, and that the Russians had achieved success thanks to "innovative tactics." According to them, the Russian army had supposedly found shelter in the ruins and attacked Ukrainian units from there. But this is either a misunderstanding of the situation or a superficial view."The tactic of storming positions in urban areas with small groups has been used by the Russians since 2022. This is not an innovation or a know-how, but just another variation of the use of assault groups that we have been observing for the third year now."It is not the invading Russian forces who are applying innovations, but the Ukrainian defenders, particularly in the use of drones. It is no coincidence that the Ukrainian president stated that in the last month alone, the Russian losses from Ukrainian drone strikes amounted to a record 25,000 people. To compensate for these losses, Russia needs to catch tens of thousands of new people across the country every month, throw them to the front, and often without training.The situation near Pokrovsk is already on the verge of fanaticism. Putin needs to show at least some tactical successes, primarily to U.S. President Donald Trump. This is the reason for such obsession with the assaults on Pokrovsk and the Pokrovsk agglomeration.Specially for EspresoAbout the author. Dmytro Sniehyriov, military expert, co-head of the Prava Sprava civic initiative.The editorial board does not always share the opinions expressed by the authors of the blogs.