Russia again focusing on Pokrovsk sector, yet 'stalling,' Syrskyi says

Russia is concentrating its main offensive efforts on the Pokrovsk sector in Donetsk Oblast but is "stalling" and failing to advance, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on March 31.

Pokrovsk, situated about 70 kilometers northwest of Donetsk, remains one of the most hotly contested areas of the front. Syrskyi previously claimed that 7,000 Russian soldiers were killed near the town in January alone.

In February, the situation near Pokrovsk somewhat stabilized, with the Ukrainian military saying that Russian troops were "bogged down" near the city.

The commander-in-chief said Ukraine's main tasks are holding defensive lines and stabilizing threats, which have been partially achieved, particularly in the Pokrovsk direction.

"At the same time, our troops use active defense tactics wherever possible. In some areas of the front line, they are advancing, improving the tactical situation, restoring dozens of positions, and restraining significant enemy forces," Syrskyi posted on Facebook.

The estimated Russian advance in the Pokrovsk sector in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, as of March 31, 2025, according to DeepState map. A white symbol marks Pokrovsk. (DeepState / OpenStreetMaps)

President Volodymyr Zelensky previously warned of renewed Russian offensives across the front, including in Kharkiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

In March, Russia made major advances in its Kursk Oblast, a territory that Ukrainian forces took in August that Zelensky's administration had hoped to use as leverage in negotiations.

Capturing more Ukrainian territory would likely encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin to seek even harsher conditions in a potential peace deal that the U.S. seeks to mediate.