The ongoing war in Ukraine has turned the once relatively peaceful region near Pokrovsk into one of the most dangerous front lines in the conflict. According to Oleksandr, the head of a medical unit from the Ukrainian army’s 25th Brigade, the situation is dire as Russian forces continue to push forward with relentless intensity. The battlefield remains unstable, with both sides frequently shifting positions. As a result, the medical teams, like Oleksandr’s, have had to adapt, constantly moving along with the fluctuating front line.
At a makeshift field unit, nestled near Pokrovsk, medics tirelessly treat the influx of injured Ukrainian soldiers. The numbers are staggering. Recently, the unit saw 50 injured soldiers in a single day—a number rarely encountered before, even in the intensity of this prolonged war. Due to the ever-present threat of Russian armed drones, many of these casualties arrive after dusk, when the cover of darkness reduces the risk of being targeted.
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Pokrovsk, a mining city located about 60 kilometers northwest of Donetsk, has become a critical zone in the war. Just months ago, this area was relatively safe, providing a temporary refuge for soldiers who would take breaks from the front lines. Its population, once about 60,000, has dwindled as over three-quarters of its residents have fled. The city now resembles a ghost town, with deserted streets and closed businesses.
The battle for control in this region has been fierce. After the capture of Avdiivka by Russian forces in February, their advance in the Donetsk region has been rapid. The fall of Vuhledar in early October underscored the speed and intensity of Russia’s progress. The Ukrainian government confirms that fighting around Pokrovsk is now some of the most intense in the country. The number of attacks on Ukrainian positions has surged, with as many as 150 enemy attacks being repelled by Ukrainian forces daily.
Inside the field unit, located six miles from the front, the medics are working under immense pressure. One medic, Tania, is seen holding the arm of a severely injured soldier named Serhii, guiding him to an examination room. Serhii’s injuries are extensive, with shrapnel wounds to his eye, skull, and brain. The medical team quickly works to clean his wounds and administer antibiotics. Serhii’s situation is critical, and like many others, he faces a long road to recovery—if he survives at all.
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The medics are accustomed to dealing with the horrors of war. Every soldier they treat has sustained injuries under different circumstances, yet they all arrive at the field unit after nightfall to avoid drone strikes. The delay in getting treatment often increases the risk of severe complications or even death. One soldier, Taras, has been wearing a tourniquet for over 10 hours after being wounded by shrapnel. By the time he reaches the medics, his arm is swollen and discolored. A doctor warns that amputation may be necessary due to the prolonged restriction of blood flow.
The sheer number of injured soldiers arriving at the makeshift medical unit has reached unprecedented levels. In just 24 hours, two soldiers were brought in already dead. The relentless nature of the fighting in Pokrovsk, an important transportation hub, is taking a massive toll on both soldiers and civilians. The city’s railway lines, once used to evacuate civilians and transport military supplies, are now under constant threat. Ukrainian forces understand the high stakes of holding Pokrovsk. If it falls, the path to the Dnipro region could be opened for Russian forces, creating an even more challenging situation for Ukraine.
The ever-present threat of Russian drones complicates efforts to evacuate the wounded and civilians from the front lines. During the time spent at the medical unit, a drone was spotted hovering near the building. The windows are boarded up to prevent drones from observing inside, but anyone who steps outside risks being targeted. This makes both evacuations and the daily lives of the remaining residents even more dangerous.
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Among the citizens who have stayed behind is Viktoriia Vasylevska, a 50-year-old resident of Pokrovsk. She is among the many civilians living in constant fear of the drones. Despite her reluctance, she has finally agreed to evacuate, recognizing the mounting dangers as the front line continues to move westward. Her panic and anxiety are clear as she shares her struggles. “It all happened so quickly. Who knows what will happen here next. I’m losing my nerve. I have panic attacks. I’m afraid of the nights,” she says.
The war has left Viktoriia with little money and even fewer options. Like many others, she will have to start her life anew, but for now, her priority is escaping the escalating violence. “I want the war to end. There should be negotiations. There is nothing left in the lands taken by Russia anyway. Everything is destroyed and all the people have fled,” she reflects, her voice full of weariness.
Morale among those who remain in Pokrovsk is eroding rapidly. Without power or water, the situation for civilians grows bleaker by the day. At a local school, a small group of people gather around a communal tap, their only source of water. In just a few days, the number of working taps has dwindled from four to one. The scenes of desperation are a far cry from the once-bustling city.
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One local, Larysa, a 69-year-old pensioner, expresses her fear as she buys food at one of the few remaining open stalls in the central market. She, like many others, relies on sedatives to cope with the constant fear. Larysa worries about where she would go if forced to leave Pokrovsk, knowing that her small pension wouldn’t be enough to support her in another city. “The government might take me somewhere and shelter me for a while. But what after that?” she asks, the uncertainty weighing heavily on her mind.
Larysa’s concerns are echoed by Raisa, a 77-year-old shopper who believes negotiations with Russia may be the only way to end the suffering. “So many of our boys are dying, so many are wounded. They’re sacrificing their lives, and this is going on and on,” she laments. Such thoughts, once unthinkable for many Ukrainians, are becoming more common as the war drags on with no end in sight.
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In an evacuation van, 80-year-old Nadiia shares her own desperate plea for peace. Unable to walk, Nadiia used to rely on her neighbors to help her move around her house, but as most have now fled, she has decided to leave as well. “Damn this war! I’m going to die,” she cries out. “Why does [President] Putin want more land? Doesn’t he have enough? He has killed so many people.” Despite her fragile condition, Nadiia is determined to escape the advancing front, though she has no idea where she will go next.
Even as many civilians evacuate, some local residents continue to work, repairing damaged infrastructure in the war-torn city. Vitaliy, one of the workers, lives on a street close to the front line. His neighbors were killed when their home was shelled, but he remains steadfast in his belief that they must continue the fight. “I don’t think it’s right to abandon our men. We have to fight until we have victory and Russia is punished for its crimes,” he says.
However, not everyone shares Vitaliy’s resolve. Roman, a 20-year-old worker helping to fix a damaged home, feels disillusioned by the war. “I don’t think the territory we’re fighting for is worth human lives. Lots of our soldiers have died. Young men who could have had a future, wives and children. But they had to go to the front line,” he says, his morale visibly low.
Ukrainian army in Pokrovsk
As the battle for Pokrovsk continues, Ukrainian forces remain focused on preventing Russian advances. In the early hours of one morning, the sound of explosions fills the air as Ukrainian artillery positions engage the enemy. Vadym, a Ukrainian soldier, fires a Soviet-era artillery gun before taking shelter in an underground bunker. Despite the challenges, he knows the importance of holding the line. “They [Russia] have more manpower and weapons. And they send their men onto the battlefield like they’re cannon fodder,” Vadym says. He understands that if Pokrovsk falls, the consequences could be devastating for Ukraine.
With each passing day, the battle for Pokrovsk intensifies, leaving soldiers, civilians, and medics struggling to keep pace with the relentless demands of war. While some, like Vitaliy, remain committed to fighting until the end, others, like Roman and Nadiia, are weary and uncertain about the future. The people of Pokrovsk, like so many across Ukraine, are caught in the crossfire of a conflict that shows no signs of abating.
