Russia announced on Monday that its troops had made advances in Pokrovsk, a city in Ukraine's Donetsk region.

The key transport and logistics hub has been targeted by the Russian invasion for more than a year.

Russia's Defense Ministry said its troops were destroying what it described as Ukrainian formations near Pokrovsk's railway station and industrial zone. Russian forces have also reportedly entered the Prigorodny area of the city.

On Monday evening, the Ukrainian military said Russian troops did not have full control over the city.

"The invaders continue to attack in small groups of up to five soldiers, without using armored vehicles," the operation task force responsible for Ukraine's eastern front line said on Facebook.

Ukraine's 7th Rapid Response Corps meanwhile said that its "operation of clearing Pokrovsk of occupiers" was ongoing, adding that Ukrainian forces had thwarted an attempt to cut off the supply route from Rodynske, to the north.

On Saturday, Kyiv announced the deployment of special forces to the eastern city of Pokrovsk, which is under assault by thousands of Russian troops.

Why is Pokrovsk important?

Pokrovsk is an important logistics hub that had a population of around 60,000 prior to the war. However, most civilians fled long ago.

If Russia were to capture the city, it could use it as a base from which to advance on the two largest Ukrainian-controlled cities remaining in the Donetsk region: Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

Moscow is intent on capturing the entire Donetsk region, which it claims to have annexed. Russia now controls 81% of the region

Taking Pokrovsk would also be Russia's most significant territorial gain in Ukraine since seizing the ruined city of Avdiivka in early 2024 following one of the war's bloodiest battles.

According to an analysis of data by the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia seized 461 square kilometers (286 square miles) of Ukrainian territory in October.

This was in line with the average monthly gain this year, which is down from the surge in July, when Russia seized 634 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory.

Edited by: Zac Crellin