The commander in chief of Ukraine's armed forces has warned Russian activity is increasing around the key frontline town of Pokrovsk, saying the situation is difficult.
General Oleksandr Syrskyi admitted Russian infantry was massing in the area and said he had visited the frontline himself for talks with key commanders.
But he said reports that Ukrainian troops had been blockaded there by Russian forces was untrue propaganda.
There have been growing reports of Russian advances around the strategic town in the Donetsk region in the east of Ukraine. It forms a key transport and supply hub, and its capture could unlock Russian efforts to seize the rest of the region.
In a statement on Telegram, General Syrskyi said: In Pokrovsk, enemy infantry, avoiding combat, is amassing in the urban area and changing locations, so the primary objective is to identify and destroy them. He added: The situation is difficult, but Russian propaganda claims about the alleged 'blockade' of the Ukrainian Defence Forces in Pokrovsk, as well as in Kupiansk, are untrue.
He said commanders were having to maintain a reasonable balance between goals and capabilities. The main priority is preserving the lives of our soldiers, he added.
Russian forces have been trying to seize Pokrovsk for more than a year. Taking it would provide them a pathway towards the two biggest cities still controlled by Ukraine in the region - Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia's chief of general staff, Gen Valery Gerasimov, claimed earlier this week that Ukrainian troops in Pokrovsk had been surrounded.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that Pokrovsk was the main target for Russia, whose forces there outnumbered Ukrainians by eight to one. He conveyed that Russia wants to capture the town to present an image of success to the United States, asserting their military campaign's necessity.
The defense intelligence firm, Sybelline, reported that the battle for Pokrovsk has entered a highly dynamic and intense phase. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian monitoring group, Deepstate, noted that Russian forces were gradually engulfing Pokrovsk, disrupting Ukrainian supply routes and stating that the situation is on the brink of crisis.
