Ukraine UA (Instagram)Once a thriving industrial hub, Pokrovsk used to be a city with a leading coal industry. The building materials sector flourished here alongside railway maintenance, machine-building and a food production before the full-scale invasion.
Now, Pokrovsk's residents are fleeing as the Russian army advances toward their city. For many, this is not the first time they've been displaced — some left Donetsk and other cities occupied by Russia after 2014 and moved to Pokrovsk, some after 2022, and some less than six months ago came from Avdiivka. Once again, they are forced to search for a new place to call home.
15,000 people remain in the city, compared to 60,000 at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The distance to the front line is 7.4 km. The streets are empty in Pokrovsk. All shops are closed, there is a curfew in the city, and electricity, gas, and water supply disappear. Local authorities urge people to leave.
Pokrovsk is just one of many cities Russia i...
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