Exclusive drone footage shows devastated Ukrainian town almost encircled by Russian forces

Nearly Encircled Ukrainian Town Faces Destruction as Russian Forces Advance

Ukrainian forces are fighting to hold onto the devastated town of Myrnohrad in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, as Russian troops continue their offensive push after claiming to have captured nearby Pokrovsk.

Exclusive drone footage obtained by The Associated Press reveals widespread destruction throughout Myrnohrad, located just 12 kilometers (7 miles) from Pokrovsk, a key Ukrainian logistics hub. The footage, shot in recent days, shows barely a street untouched by combat, with fresh damage still emitting smoke in some areas.

“They are trying to simply erase the town from the face of the earth,” said Oleksii Hodzenko, press officer of the drone battalion of the 38th Marine Brigade, whose soldiers continue to fight inside Myrnohrad despite increasingly difficult conditions.

According to DeepState, an open-source Ukrainian mapping resource widely used by military and analysts, Russian forces have nearly encircled the town. While Ukrainian troops still maintain one route out, Hodzenko described the logistics situation as dire.

“We can only very rarely carry out even a small rotation of personnel. People sit there for weeks,” Hodzenko explained. The situation has become so precarious that Ukrainian forces now rely on ground-robot drones to deliver food and water to soldiers holding their positions in the town.

Ukraine’s eastern command confirmed on Wednesday that it continues channeling supplies to troops in Myrnohrad, though military restrictions prevented Hodzenko from revealing how many Ukrainian soldiers remain.

Once home to approximately 46,000 residents before Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Myrnohrad now joins dozens of other Ukrainian towns and villages across the east and south that have been largely emptied of civilians and reduced to rubble.

The systematic destruction has occurred over more than a year of relentless Russian attacks using glide bombs weighing up to 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds), swarms of attack drones, and constant artillery bombardment.

“When you sit at the command post and hear the exchanges between Ukrainian units, once every few minutes a radio comes in, ‘KAB (glide bomb) on Myrnohrad,'” Hodzenko said. “As of now, all our fighters can do, and all they do, is hold the city as best they can, exerting absolutely inhuman, titanic efforts.”

The situation in Myrnohrad reflects the broader momentum Russia has gained on the eastern front in recent months. On Tuesday, Russia’s defense ministry claimed its troops had taken control of nearby Pokrovsk, releasing video footage of Russian soldiers raising their flag in the city center. Ukraine’s General Staff disputed this claim.

Col. Volodymyr Polevyi, head of communications for Ukraine’s 7th Corps Assault Brigade stationed in the area, told the Associated Press on Wednesday that Ukrainian forces were still engaged in combat in Pokrovsk’s northern sector.

The continued Russian advance comes as Moscow negotiators appear increasingly confident. Kremlin presidential aide Yurii Ushakov stated Wednesday that Russia’s recent battlefield progress has strengthened its position in discussions with the United States regarding a potential peace plan.

“The progress and nature of the negotiations were, of course, influenced by the Russian army’s battlefield successes in recent weeks,” Ushakov told reporters. “These developments had a positive impact on the negotiations.”

For Ukrainian forces holding the line in places like Myrnohrad, the situation underscores their continued dependence on Western military support. Hodzenko made a direct appeal for continued assistance from Ukraine’s international partners.

“Despite some agreements or disagreements between the U.S., Russia, the European Union, NATO, we still need help, in particular military help,” he emphasized. “In order for the West not to go to war with Russia after a certain time, the West must certainly help us in any possible way.”

As winter approaches, the fate of Myrnohrad and other contested areas along Ukraine’s eastern front will likely depend on both the resilience of Ukrainian defenders and the continuation of Western military aid that has sustained Ukraine’s resistance for nearly three years.