Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov said Russian forces had also captured the town of Vovchansk in Kharkiv.
Published on December 2, 2025
Russian forces say they have captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, a major logistics hub. The siege lasted almost two years.
The Kremlin announced the news in a Telegram post on Monday, citing Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov. The post said Russian forces had also captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region.
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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Gerasimov broke the news of the “liberation” to Russian President Vladimir Putin late Sunday while the leader was visiting a front-line command center, according to Russia’s TASS news agency.
Pokrovsk is a major transportation hub in the Donetsk region, one of four regions of eastern Ukraine claimed by Russia.
The city, once home to 60,000 people, has been bombarded by Russian drones, artillery and bombs in recent weeks, and many buildings are in ruins.
Ukraine has not yet confirmed Russia’s capture of the city, but Reuters reports that Moscow is broadcasting video of soldiers marching through the streets of Pokrovsk and waving the Russian flag.
Putin later congratulated the Russian military on their victory, according to the TASS news agency.
“Krasnoarmesk, I want to thank you for the results of your work, both you and the entire command and staff of the battle group,” Putin said, using the Russian name for Pokrovsk. “Of course, the fighters, our people, who are carrying out these combat missions,” he said, according to TASS.
Meanwhile, the president of Ukraine is Volodymyr Zelensky US and European leaders meeting This week to discuss how to end the war.
He said on Monday that one of his top priorities was to avoid making territorial concessions to Moscow that would legitimize Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian territory.