Kremlin markets fictional Pokrovsk ‘liberation’ ahead of peace talks

The analysts highlighted the 7th Rapid Reaction Corps of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces statement that Russian forces remain bogged down in urban combat in Pokrovsk — contradicting earlier statements by Russia’s military and political leadership claiming that Ukrainian forces had been encircled.

The Corps said that Ukrainian troops killed 1,221 Russian soldiers and wounded 545 in the Pokrovsk urban area in November 2025 alone — including 519 killed and 131 wounded in the city.

ISW continued to assess that Russian forces have suffered heavy losses during their months-long effort to capture the city.

The Corps also reported that Ukrainian troops have retained key and secondary rotation routes in Myrnohrad and recently rotated forces into Pokrovsk. These statements indicate that Ukraine likely maintains supply lines into the city, despite Russia’s attempts to block ground routes between Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad.

Analysts suggest that false Russian claims of capturing Pokrovsk are aimed at influencing negotiations between Russia and the United States on Dec. 2.

On Dec. 2, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to meet Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in Moscow, where he will present an updated version of the U.S. peace plan.

Ahead of Witkoff’s arrival, the Kremlin announced the supposed capture of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast and Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast.

According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, on Nov. 30 Putin visited a Russian military command post, where Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov allegedly reported on the “liberation” of the cities.

“General of the Army Gerasimov reported to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief on the liberation of Krasnoarmiisk (Pokrovsk) in the DPR (Donetsk People Republic) and Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast, as well as on the results of offensive operations in other directions,” Peskov claimed.

The commander of Russia’s Vostok (East) grouping Andrey Ivanayev also told Putin that Russian forces had supposedly reached the Haichur River and begun an operation to “liberate Huliaipole” in Zaporizhzhya Oblast — claiming street battles were underway.

However, independent analytical projects do not confirm any of the Kremlin’s alleged achievements.

DeepState monitoring project wrote that Russian forces control only part of Pokrovsk, with the rest remaining a “gray zone.” In Vovchansk, most of the city is held by Ukrainian forces. In Huliaipole, only small segments on the northeastern outskirts are in the gray zone.