Thick fog has enabled Russian troops to move further into the key strategic city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine's 7th Airborne Assault Corps says weather conditions, particularly dense fog, have prompted Moscow to intensify its bid to get increasing numbers into the ruined city and encircle Ukrainian forces.
Russian forces have spent more than a year trying to seize the city, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the fog has favored Russian attacks and the situation remains difficult.
Meanwhile, army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi has warned the situation on the front line in the southeastern Zaporzhzhia region has 'significantly worsened', with the loss of three settlements.
Syrskyi states that Russia is most active around Pokrovsk. A viral video has surfaced showing Russian soldiers openly driving through a hazy road in civilian cars and motorbikes.
The BBC has verified that the location in the video is the southern outskirts of the town on the Selidove-Pokrovsk highway.
For several days, the fog has obscured visibility required for aerial reconnaissance, says a drone pilot from the Shershni Dovbusha unit of the 68th brigade with the call-sign 'Goose'.
Due to these conditions, he mentioned that Russian forces have even 'dared' to launch assaults with a column of vehicles, which typically would have been targeted immediately by Ukrainian drones.
The 7th Corps claims that around 300 Russian soldiers are now in Pokrovsk, a figure shared by Zelensky last Wednesday, suggesting numbers have likely risen.
Mapping by the Ukraine-based DeepState monitoring group indicates Russian troops are surrounding most areas of Pokrovsk. Some observers suggest its fall is imminent.
Most parts of the city currently exist in a ‘grey zone’ under contested control; We might hold positions in one building, but the enemy can be in the next one, said 'Goose'.
Moscow seeks to encircle Pokrovsk and its neighboring towns as part of a strategy termed a 'cauldron'. Even if the 'lid' isn’t fully closed, Russian forces can continue to target all routes using FPV drones.
To counter this, Ukrainian troops have pushed Russian forces back from Suvorove and Rodynske, creating a larger gap between the advancing flanks.
Russian tactics involve targeting supply routes both remotely and through ground assaults, aiming to cut logistical support to Ukrainian defenses in Pokrovsk.
Ukrainian military analyst Kostyantyn Mashovets notes that Russian forces have developed successful infiltration tactics in urban environments, often disguising themselves to create chaos among Ukrainian defenses.
As the situation continues to evolve in Pokrovsk, Russian troops are also pushing from other fronts including Kupyansk and Zaporzhzhya, adding to the challenges faced by Ukrainian forces.
