Russian troops conquer Pokrovsk after year of intense combat

The Russian army has captured the Ukrainian mining town of Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region, which has been under attack for about a year, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian journalists on Monday.

Peskov said President Vladimir Putin had been informed. There was no immediate confirmation from kyiv.

Russian forces also reportedly captured the town of Vovchansk, in neighboring Kharkiv.

These claims could not be independently verified, although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted during a visit to Paris that fighting around Pokrovsk and in Kharkiv remained intense.

Observers suggest Russia’s announcement of military gains could come before a planned visit to Moscow on Tuesday by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, as the Kremlin seeks to show progress ahead of talks on a possible peace plan.