Zelensky explains why Russians need Pokrovsk and says about 2200 captured occupants

For more than six months, 2,200 occupants have been captured in the areas of Dobropillia, Pokrovsk, and in the east as a whole. The Russians have "erased" a lot of their forces there to defend their position that Ukraine should allegedly withdraw from Donbas. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to a correspondent of LIGA.net .

"We understand why they need Pokrovsk. They need it only to tell [the Americans] – look, the idea that Ukraine withdraws from the east and gives away everything else they want is the only possible one, otherwise they will seemingly grab more," the president said .

He emphasized that Russians were preparing to occupy Pokrovsk at least a year ago.

"They sent such forces to Pokrovsk that Ukraine cannot send one to eight people to one direction. Just imagine how many Russian forces are there. But at the same time, they have no planned result <…> Such a result that they can "sell" to the Americans," Zelensky said.

At the same time, he said, the Russians are showing the United States maps with Pokrovsk allegedly captured, telling them how they are standing in the Dnipro region and how they have allegedly captured 90% of eastern Ukraine. However, this is a "lie," Zelensky assured.

He is convinced that Ukraine did the right thing by launching the Dobropillya operation, because Russian dictator Vladimir Putin needed this town – and it is not known what the Russians would have done if they had gained control of it.

"They wiped out a lot of their military there. There are 2200 of their people in captivity, this is for more than six months of 2025. The whole east – Dobropillia, Pokrovsk – brought 2200 Russian prisoners. Imagine how many they lost," the President emphasized .

He added that the fact that Ukraine is still holding Pokrovsk and the Russians are constantly postponing their campaign plans proves to the world that Russia is lying and that we should continue to help Ukraine.

• The other day, Russians claimed that they had allegedly occupied the town of Rodynske in Pokrovsk district, but it is controlled by the Defense Forces. The Russians also launched fakes about the alleged encirclement of Ukrainian troops near Pokrovsk and Kupiansk.
• According to Zelensky, Russia's irreversible and sanitary losses in the war in 2025 amounted to 346,00 military – almost the same number of occupiers were mobilized during this time.