“ISW notes that Russian forces began infiltration missions in Kostiantynivka in mid-October 2025, but have not yet prioritized the capture of Kostiantynivka before completing the capture of Pokrovsk”, — write: www.radiosvoboda.org
Analysts noted that the commander of the Ukrainian brigade operating in the Konstantinov region reported on February 4 that Russian forces have recently focused their efforts on blocking Ukrainian logistics systems rather than conducting combat operations, partly due to sub-zero temperatures. The commander added that Russian forces are also blocking Ukrainian logistics, attacking and remotely mining Ukrainian land lines of communication using FPV drones and setting up ambushes using drones.
ISW notes that Russian forces began infiltration missions in Kostiantynivka in mid-October 2025, but have not yet prioritized the capture of Kostiantynivka before completing the capture of Pokrovsk.
“Russian troops are probably trying to repeat the campaign that the Russian Federation successfully used in Pokrovsk, and later in the eastern part of the Zaporizhzhia region. Russian forces in the direction of Pokrovsk struck various targets in the rear of Ukraine at an operational depth of 25 to 100 kilometers or more (these targets included roads, railways and bridges supporting Ukrainian supply lines) before further intensive ground operations… Russian forces conducted this campaign for several months to create conditions for intensifying offensive operations in the direction of Pokrovsk and Gulyaipol, which ultimately allowed Russia to advance in these directions in the fall of 2025,” the message reads.
The day before, the DeepState analytical project noted that the Russian army had advanced in Pokrovsk and Mirnograd. According to analysts, the aggressor captured new territories in the north of Pokrovsk, and also advanced to Hryshiny, which is key for the logistics of the Defense Forces in the agglomeration of the settlement. “The last battles for Pokrovsk and Mirnograd continue,” the analysts concluded.
On January 22, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated that the Defense Forces continue to restrain Russian troops in Pokrovsk and Myrnograd in Donetsk region, as small groups of the Russian Federation are trying to infiltrate the northern regions of both cities. He noted that as a result of the active assault actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, another attempt by the Russian invaders to seize these settlements was thwarted.
Fighting in Pokrovsk has been going on since October 2025, when the Russian army managed to break through to the city after several months of fighting on its slopes. Almost immediately, Russian soldiers began to be recorded in Pokrovsk’s satellite city of Mirnograd.
The Pokrovsky direction, according to the reports of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, constantly leads in terms of the number of Russian assaults.
In July 2025, the ISW said that Russian forces had changed the priorities of offensive operations in the Pokrovsky direction after several weeks of unsuccessful attempts to advance to Kostiantynivka.
On May 22, the Radio Svoboda Donbas.Realii project reported that Russia in Donbas intensified its offensive in several directions at once, seeking to encircle Kostyantynivka, an important railway junction and stronghold of Ukrainian defense.