Photo by Christopher Burns on Unsplash
Recently, the Kremlin has again tried to create the illusion of success on the battlefield. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Ukrainian forces had been encircled in the eastern city of Pokrovsk, a statement immediately refuted by Kyiv. According to Ukraine’s Joint Forces Command, there is no encirclement, and defensive operations in the area continue. The city remains under Ukrainian control, despite heavy assaults and the deployment of around 11,000 Russian troops.
The disinformation surrounding Pokrovsk follows a familiar pattern. When Moscow struggles to make tangible military gains, it resorts to propaganda. By fabricating imaginary victories, Putin aims to project strength both domestically and internationally, hiding the real costs of the war and maintaining the illusion of progress. Ukrainian officials say that this latest narrative also has a diplomatic purpose: to deceive Western audiences – especially the U.S. President Donald Trump – into believing Ukraine is close to collapse, while Russia claims it is preparing for peace talks. In reality, such rhetoric functions as a strategic pause, a way for the Kremlin to buy time and avoid further Western sanctions.
On the ground, the facts present a different picture. Ukrainian troops continue to maintain their positions, eliminating Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups around Pokrovsk. A Russian flag briefly raised on a city monument was quickly removed. “Our soldiers defend every metre of their land,” Ukrainian military representatives said. President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the strengthening of defensive units in the area, describing Pokrovsk as one of Russia’s current main objectives.
While Moscow harbours illusions of battlefield victory, Ukraine continues to showcase its true military strength by striking deep into Russian-occupied territory. Over the past week, the Security Service of Ukraine successfully targeted multiple military and logistics sites in Crimea using long-range drones. These strikes hit fuel depots in Hvardiiske and Komsomolskoye, as well as advanced Russian air defence systems, including a rare Pantsir-C2 complex. Independent analysts point out that the loss of such equipment is unprecedented and further weakens Russia’s air defence network across the peninsula.
Furthermore, several radar installations were destroyed, indicating that Ukrainian forces have effectively weakened Russia’s ability to defend its southern front. As a result, vital infrastructure, including military airfields has become more exposed. Crimea, once promoted as Russia’s unsinkable aircraft carrier, is now increasingly a liability, with its costly air-defence assets turning into scrap metal.
These developments also carry tangible operational consequences. The disruption of railway lines near Tokmak and the targeting of supply depots have complicated Russian logistics in southern Ukraine. Russian forces, analysts say, are now forced to rely on truck-based supply chains, which increase costs and reduce efficiency.
Taken together, the contrast is striking. In Pokrovsk, Russia, attempts to turn failure into fiction. In Crimea and beyond, Ukraine continues to demonstrate that it can reach, disrupt, and weaken the aggressor’s war machine.
For Europe, these realities should serve as a reminder that Ukraine’s resilience is not a matter of rhetoric but of continued, active resistance. Yet, sustaining this resistance requires more than words of solidarity. It demands strengthening sanctions, accelerating military aid, and political will to match Ukraine’s determination.
Putin’s strategy is built on fear, of escalation, of fatigue, of division within the West. The only effective answer is unity and resolution. Every Ukrainian drone that strikes a Russian military target, every metre of ground held in Pokrovsk, reaffirms a simple truth: Ukraine is not losing this war. But to win it, for itself and for Europe’s security, it cannot be left to fight alone.
