Pokrovsk has been dubbed a "fortress" city, key for Ukraine's logistics and a long-time stronghold for Kyiv in the east.

Ukrainian forces made progress towards the Donetsk city of Chasiv Yar whose hilltop location makes it a critical goal for Russia.

Donetsk is one of four regions of Ukraine that Russian President Vladimir Putin annexed when the invasion first escalated in 2022, making it one of the key battlegrounds for the war. Putin said ...