This image made from a December 2025 video provided by the Ukrainian Defense Forces shows the heavily-bombed city of Myrnohrad in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
Exclusive drone footage released by The Associated Press reveals the near-total destruction of Myrnohrad, a Ukrainian town in the eastern Donetsk region now almost completely surrounded by Russian forces. The images show collapsed buildings, blackened streets and rising smoke — stark evidence of a community pushed to the brink as fighting intensifies near Pokrovsk, a strategic logistics hub Moscow recently claimed to control.
A Town Reduced to Rubble
Myrnohrad lies just 12 kilometers (7 miles) from Pokrovsk. What was once a bustling town has been transformed into a wasteland. Drone footage shows entire blocks levelled. Few streets remain intact. Some buildings still smolder, indicating that strikes occurred only hours before filming.
Ukrainian marines remain inside the town, continuing fierce engagements despite overwhelming firepower. “They are trying to simply erase the town from the face of the earth,” said Oleksii Hodzenko, press officer for the drone battalion of the 38th Marine Brigade.
Myrnohrad Nearly Encircled
According to DeepState, a widely used open-source Ukrainian battlefield map, Russian forces have almost completed an encirclement of the town. Only one narrow route remains open. Ukrainian commanders describe it as unstable and risky.
“We can only very rarely rotate personnel,” Hodzenko said. “People sit there for weeks.” Supplies are limited, and extraction is dangerous.
Ukraine’s eastern command reported that it continues channeling essential resources into Myrnohrad, but the difficulty increases daily as Russian pressure grows.
Drones as Lifelines
With conventional routes cut and artillery fire constant, Ukrainian troops inside Myrnohrad now rely heavily on ground-robot drones to deliver food, water and medical supplies. The exact number of soldiers still inside remains classified, but the challenges they face are severe.
Before Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Myrnohrad had a population of 46,000. Today, like dozens of other communities in Ukraine’s east and south, it has been largely emptied — its remaining infrastructure hammered by glide bombs, attack drones, and heavy artillery.
Relentless Assaults Reduce the Town to a Shell
Russian forces have pounded the area for more than a year using 500-kilogram glide bombs and waves of drones. The scale of destruction is immense.
“When you sit at the command post and hear radio updates, every few minutes someone says, ‘KAB on Myrnohrad,’” Hodzenko recalled. He described the soldiers’ resistance as “inhuman, titanic efforts” to hold the town despite impossible conditions.
Russia Claims Advantage in Peace Talks
Moscow says its battlefield gains are shaping diplomatic negotiations. Yurii Ushakov, a senior Kremlin aide, stated on Wednesday that Russia’s recent advances strengthened its position in ongoing talks with the United States over Washington’s proposed plan to end the war.
“These developments had a positive impact on the negotiations,” Ushakov claimed.
The comments came a day after Russia’s defense ministry announced it had seized control of Pokrovsk, releasing a video of troops raising the Russian flag. Ukraine’s General Staff denied the claim.
Fighting Continues Near Pokrovsk
Ukrainian forces reject Russia’s assertion of full control. Col. Volodymyr Polevyi, communications chief for the 7th Corps Assault Brigade, told the AP that Ukrainian units continue to fight in Pokrovsk’s northern districts.
He confirmed that little has changed on the ground despite Russia’s announcements.
A Plea for Continued Western Support
As Myrnohrad edges closer to encirclement, Ukrainian fighters say international assistance remains essential.
“Despite agreements or disagreements between the U.S., Russia, the European Union and NATO, we still need help,” Hodzenko said. He emphasized that military support is crucial not only for Ukraine but for broader European security.
“In order for the West not to go to war with Russia after a certain time, the West must help us in any possible way.”
