Ukrainian Lubov Chernak had to leave her cat behind when fleeing Russian forces from her home in the Pokrovsky district of Donetsk.
– The situation is terrible. I’m shaking and I’m scared, Černak tells ‘s editor Antti Kuronen In the city of Pokrovsky.
In recent weeks, Russian troops have been rapidly approaching the city and have taken over several villages as they advance.
Russia used to completely destroy the cities it conquered. Ukraine has issued a mandatory evacuation order for families with children living on the edge of the Pokrovsky front, so that the civilians could leave in time before the urban war begins.
In the video below, Ukrainians talk about leaving their homes:
A train departs from Pokrovsk daily to take evacuees to other parts of Ukraine free of charge. According to Kuronen, the majority of those leaving are from nearby villages, which are located closer to the front line.
Kuronen says that the people who fled the villages are terrified.
– These villages often no longer have electricity or running water. Living in them is very difficult, and battles are close, says Kuronen.
Voluntary evacuation teams are circulating in the area, cooperating with the police. Kuronen says that he was with such a group on the evacuation bus early on Friday in the small town of Kurahovka.
Evacuation teams go from house to house and urge people to leave while they still can.
There are always those who want to stay in their homes despite the approaching Russian troops, says Kuronen. Even families with children have sometimes refused to leave.
– There are many reasons behind this. Many do not know where to leave their home. Some do not want to leave their pets. Many get locked up mentally and don’t know how to make the decision to leave.
In the city of Pokrovski itself, the situation is surprisingly calm, says Kuronen. The war situation can be seen, among other things, in a strict curfew, which begins at three in the afternoon and ends at eleven in the morning.
– The rumble of artillery can be heard from the front, but there has been relatively little fire into the city. Electricity still works.
Kuronen does not say that he has noticed war fatigue or bitterness towards the performance of the Ukrainian forces.
– People were really angry with Russia and sad because they have to leave. Many understand that they may not be able to return for a long time, says Kuronen.
Expert: The situation at the front is in crisis
The defense of Ukrainian troops in the direction of Pokrovsky is in crisis, a military historian Emil Kastehelmi evaluate.
Kastehelmi monitors the situation in Ukraine with its Blackbord team, for example by means of open source intelligence.
– Russia has progressed very quickly compared to its previous success in Ukraine, says Kastehelmi.
– The Ukrainian forces do not seem to have the situation completely under control, as they have constantly lost new villages.
Kastehelmi mentions, for example, the city of Novohrodivka, which Ukraine lost this week after only about a week of fighting. Ukraine has a shortage of both artillery and soldiers. In addition, information has come from various Ukrainian sources that there are major problems in the leadership of the Ukrainian forces.
Due to the lack of manpower, Ukraine is not allowed to use the fortifications built by the Russian troops on the road.
According to Kastehelmi, occupying Pokrovsky would be an important victory for Russia, as it is the logistical center of the Ukrainian forces. There are several service routes from the city, both by land and by rail.
– If Russia were to take over the city, Ukraine would have to move its railway maintenance much further from the eastern front, says Kastehelmi.
Kastahelmi points out that although Pokrovsk is under serious threat, the fighting in the city itself has not started yet.
– Fighting in Pokrovsk can be a difficult piece for Russia, and it cannot be considered certain that it will take over the city. A lot depends on what kind of decisions Ukraine makes.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s offensive in the Kursk region in Russia has slowed down, and according to Kastehelmi, it now seems to be trying to strengthen its positions there.
So far, Russia has not sent significant troops to Kursk from other fronts, but has, for example, assembled them voluntary groups. According to Kastehelmi, this is a logical action by Russia, whose goal is to take over the entire Donetsk region.
– Strategically, it is much more important for Russia to be able to take over areas from Donetsk. From Russia’s point of view, nothing is happening in Kursk that is so threatening that it needs to prioritize the quick takeover of the area, says Kastehelmi.