British News Agency

Russia’s Chief of the General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, told Putin during a visit to a military command center on Sunday that Russian troops had taken Pokrovsk. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that “it is not yet clear why the Kremlin did not announce this alleged advance earlier.”

A video released by the Kremlin on Monday and geolocated by CNN shows Russian soldiers slowly advancing from the south and raising the Russian flag in central Pokrovsk, which has been under Moscow’s control for some time.

Pokrovsk had long been considered an important logistical hub for Ukrainians due to its road and rail links, but repeated drone and artillery strikes on the main supply routes forced Kyiv to find alternatives, reducing the city’s strategic value.

According to Peskov, during Sunday’s visit Putin thanked commanders and military personnel for their “successful actions.”