Rescue workers are currently searching through the rubble of damaged buildings in the city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine. This comes after a series of Russian strikes that resulted in the death of at least seven people.
Located just 50 kilometers from the eastern frontline, Pokrovsk has been witnessing an escalation in violence as Moscow claims to gain ground and counter Ukrainian attacks. On Monday, two missiles were launched, causing damage to residential buildings, a hotel, catering establishments, shops, and administrative buildings. Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the Donetsk region’s military administration, reported the incidents.
Rescue efforts were underway as AFP correspondents saw survivors being evacuated from the debris of a five-storey building. The wounded were being transported to ambulances. According to Igor Klymenko, Ukraine’s minister of internal affairs, seven people lost their lives while 67 were injured, including two children. Among the casualties was a high-ranking emergency official of the Donetsk region.
Rescue operations had to be temporarily suspended overnight due to the high risk of repeated shelling. However, work resumed on Tuesday morning, with the focus on clearing the rubble. President Volodymyr Zelensky shared a video on social media, depicting civilians assisting the wounded and rescuers removing debris from a building that had its top floor destroyed.
The video also revealed another building that sustained significant damage. Prior to the conflict, Pokrovsk had a population of approximately 60,000 residents.
In another development, Russia announced its recent advance of three kilometers towards Kupiansk, located around 150 kilometers north of Pokrovsk and just a few dozen kilometers from the Russian border. The town and its surrounding areas in the Kharkiv region were previously retaken by Ukrainian forces in September. However, Russia has initiated a renewed offensive in the area.
Moscow’s defense ministry reported that its troops had made progress along the frontlines, gaining 11 kilometers in the past three days and penetrating more than three kilometers into the enemy’s defense. They claimed to have improved their position and successfully thwarted Ukrainian counterattacks.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Russia targeted a blood transfusion center in Kruglyakivka, near Kupiansk, with a guided air bomb, resulting in the death of at least two people and four injuries, as reported by Kyiv. Two more individuals lost their lives on Monday during a Russian attack involving four guided aerial bombs, according to Oleg Synegubov, governor of the Kharkiv region.
Ukraine had previously stated its defensive position in the Kupiansk area in mid-July when the Russian army launched an offensive attack. Although Ukraine initiated a counteroffensive in June, progress has been slow due to staunch resistance from Russian forces.
In terms of diplomacy, Ukraine expressed its satisfaction with a peace summit held in Saudi Arabia, which Russia was not invited to attend. Representatives from approximately 40 countries, including China, India, the United States, and Ukraine, participated in the summit held in Jeddah over the weekend. However, Moscow responded scornfully, dismissing the initiative as an unsuccessful attempt by the US administration to impose its desires as reality.
Russian ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, emphasized the futility of discussing the Ukrainian crisis without Russia’s involvement. He questioned the possibility of achieving any tangible outcomes in such a situation.