Ukrainian forces continue to cling to their positions in and around Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, as Russian troops push deeper into the two cities, tightening the noose and threatening to cut off the defenders entirely. For over two weeks, heavy fighting has turned Pokrovsk into a chaotic gray zone where territorial control is fluid and constantly shifting. A Ukrainian drone operator on the ground, speaking anonymously to the Kyiv Independent, described the situation as “ a mess, ” with both sides’