Russian Attack On Kryviy Rih Kills 1 Amid Intense Clashes And Russian Push Toward Pokrovsk
Theftermath of a Russian missile strike in Kryviy Rih that killed at least one person on December 24.
One person was killed and 11 were wounded by a ballistic missile strike on an apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Kryviy Rih, local officials said on December 24 as clashes were reported along much of the front line in eastern Ukraine amid gains by Russian forces and speculation over the Kremlin’s strategy.
Ukrainian officials condemned the attack on the building in Kryviy Rih, calling it a direct hit on a four-story residential block with 32 apartments.
Dnipropetrovsk Governor Serhiy Lysak said 11 people had been wounded and seven of them had been hospitalized.
He described three of the wounded as two women, ages 69 and 72, and a 78-year-old man, and said all were in moderate condition. He said later that one man who had been pulled from the rubble could not be revived despite doctors doing everything possible to resuscitate him.
Lysak added that there may still be people buried in the rubble.
Ukraine's human rights ombudsman reacted angrily, noting that the strike occurred on Christmas Eve.
"While other countries of the world are celebrating Christmas, Ukrainians are continuing to suffer from endless Russian attacks," Dmytro Lubinets said on Telegram.
Kryviy Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has regularly been the target of Russian missile attacks throughout the war.
Russia says it does not deliberately target civilians despite widespread evidence to the contrary and thousands of deaths among the civilian population.
Ukraine’s General Staff of the Armed Forces said earlier on December 24 that by mid-morning some 235 clashes had been recorded at the front since the start of the previous day, with intense fighting in the direction of Kharkhiv, Donetsk, and Kupyansk.
It added that Russia lost over 1,600 soldiers and 30 armored vehicles during the period, though the claim could not be independently verified. Moscow rarely comments on its losses in the war.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in a report on December 24 that Russia’s priorities in the current fighting remain unclear as troops make incremental advances south and southwest of the key city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region.
“It remains unclear if Russian forces will be able to exploit these gains to envelop the town or if they intend to advance to the administrative boundary of Donetsk region,” the ISW said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week that Moscow is nearing its primary goal in the war, though he didn’t elaborate.
Ever since Ukraine's counteroffensive to drive out invading Russian forces culminated with little success in October 2023, Russian troops have slowly pushed westward, capturing the Donetsk city of Avdiyivka and then the town of Vuhledar. Russia currently controls about 60 percent of Donetsk.
Russian troops reportedly are just a few kilometers from the edge of Pokrovsk and could be on the verge of taking it.
Pokrovsk is strategically significant because it serves as a major transportation hub, is close to the front lines, and serves as a supply hub for military operations in the Donbas region.
Fear And Hope As Battle For Ukraine’s Pokrovsk Looms
1/17A woman walks through a suburb of Pokrovsk in early December.
In the early days of the full-scale Russian invasion my colleagues and I had based ourselves in Pokrovsk, where cafes, restaurants, and shopping centers offered a respite from the front lines. Now we are watching it die. Since 2022, I’ve seen many cities overtaken by war. Some fall quickly and disappear from the headlines, others hold on to the bitter end: Syevyerodonetsk, Lysychansk, Soledar, and others familiar only to the military and journalists. Now Pokrovsk is on that list.
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
2/17A woman rides past a cinema with a banner declaring “Pokrovsk -- the strength of the Cossack clan.”
A curfew is in place in Pokrovsk from three in the afternoon until 11 a.m. the next day. As soon as the curfew is lifted we park our car and walk through the city streets. Only a handful of people are out and about. In the background, artillery can be heard working to the south and east, where Russian forces are advancing from both directions.
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
3/17Many shops here are closed and apparently abandoned. Svitlana Yaroslavovna (pictured) operates one that is still open, selling sweets, milk and sausage. “When it’s quiet, I get nervous. It feels like maybe the military are surrendering us. I hope they don’t,” she confides after making us coffee. “Because [the nearby settlements of] Novohrodivka and Selydove were both surrendered very quickly even though there were fortifications there. I’m not a soldier, but I wish they hadn’t allowed them to fall."
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
4/17"Dragon's teeth" anti-tank obstacles in Pokrovsk.
Suppliers for Yaroslavovna's grocery shop still come every weekday, she tells us, but some drivers are afraid to come into the city center. “We meet them behind the bridge and transfer the products, then drive them in ourselves.”
If Russian troops keep pushing closer, Yaroslavovna says, “I’ll close the shop and flee with the dogs and cats that I’m looking after here. I definitely won’t live here under the Russians, if the front gets any closer. But for now, I’ll be here for as long as I can."
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
5/17The city slowly comes to life as we continue walking, people are appearing, carrying water and food. A makeshift market is operating nearby. It feels almost like any normal winter morning in a provincial eastern town, only the booming of nearby explosions offers a constant reminder of the situation in Pokrovsk.
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
6/17In some suburbs there is still electricity and gas, but central heating no longer operates in Pokrovsk. People warm their apartments with electric heaters or gas burners.
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
7/17The still smoldering remains of a building in Pokrovsk that was wiped out by a Russian glide bomb.
Donetskoblhaz JSC, the company that supplies gas and electricity to Pokrovsk says it is becoming increasingly difficult for their repair crews to work amid frequent shelling. The company announced that, as of December 12, it would suspend gas supplies due to “the consequences of hostilities on the gas distribution system.”
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
8/17A Pokrovsk resident collects water from one of a handful of supply points in the city.
One of the biggest challenges for Pokrovsk's residents is sourcing water. Locals say that Russian forces destroyed water pumping stations outside the city in August 2022, and since then most water has been sourced from tankers organized by local government and aid organizations.
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
9/17Anton, who came to collect water on his day off.
The local man evacuated his family but has remained to work at a mine in Pokrovsk that was still in operation in early December. “I think everyone is considering leaving. Only those who are waiting [for a Russian takeover] are not," he says. "I hope [Ukraine's military] will drive them away, and we can continue to live here."
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
10/17Vasyl, an elderly local crossing an empty street in Pokrovsk.
“My friends have gone to the Dnipropetrovsk region,” he tells us. “The poor are suffering everywhere. No one needs people. This is a fight for territory, not people. I am 81 years old. I think if [the Russians] restore order there will be heat, gas, and so on. I am being very frank, but, people will have one hell of a time surviving [until then].”
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
11/17A printed sign announces “pharmacy working” in Pokrovsk.
Along with pharmacies, cafes, and a bookstore, the biggest surprise was an Apple Store that was still operating in early December. Though perhaps as I’m writing this it has already closed down.
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
12/17Bells in the cathedral begin to ring, calling the faithful to prayer and momentarily drowning out the sounds of war. The bells frighten a flock of pigeons which flap into the air then settle on the Soviet-era apartment block whose windows are boarded up with chipboard.
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
13/17A local woman walking her dog.
Even after covering the war for years, moments like this, showing hope for life amid destruction and death are always surprising. The animals seem to be accustomed to the backdrop of explosions and show no signs of fear.
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
14/17"We live, we keep hoping,” Valentyna Vasylivna (pictured) tells us as she walks through her war-damaged city. “I have a pension of 2,700 hryvnias ($65) per month. Where would I go? My apartment walls keep me warm, this is my home.”
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
15/17At Pokrovsk Railway Station the platforms are empty. This homeless man was trying to stay warm in a sleeping bag, and to get some sleep.
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
16/17A man pushes a load of firewood. Behind him is the road towards Shevchenko, where Russian forces are currently advancing from the south.
Some civilians we spoke to told us of friends and neighbours who are returning to Pokrovsk despite the city's precarious situation. Some couldn't find work elsewhere and ran out of money; others couldn't get used to living away from their hometown. Many say the only state help that registered refugees receive is a payment of 11,000 hryvna, ($265) and those people who leave by their own means cannot even count on this.
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
17/17A road sign for Pokrovsk on the outskirts of the city.
We leave Pokrovsk with heavy hearts. It seems likely we could return soon to the city to film street battles. We remember the words of shopkeeper Svitlana Yaroslavovna: "I hold on to my faith in God, and the armed forces of Ukraine, this is where I place my hope."
Russian forces have neared the outskirts of Pokrovsk, a strategically important transportation and logistics hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Once home to more than 60,000 people before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, only a fraction of this population now remains in the embattled city. Photojournalist Serhiy Nuzhnenko recently visited Pokrovsk with a colleague from RFE/RL's Donbas.Realities and talked to some residents who are still living there.
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Fighting between Russia and Ukraine has ratcheted up in recent weeks, with Moscow launching waves of drones and missiles across Ukrainian territory, mainly aimed at civilian and energy infrastructure.
Kyiv has countered with attackson Russian oil and energy targets just inside Russian territory and over the weekend struck high-rise buildings in Kazan, the capital of Russia's oil-rich republic of Tatarstan.
A delegation from Kazan on December 24 traveled to Belgorod to study best practices in organizing civil defenses during drone attacks, according to Kazan media citing a statement by city's mayor, Ilsur Metshin.
Metshin said that Kazan must establish a clear plan so that residents know how to respond in emergencies and where to find shelters.
"Everyone should have this in mind. We will bring the best practice in the country by the end of the week," the mayor said.
He said he understands that in Belgorod all residents can evacuate to shelters within minutes.
Last week Putin dangled the prospect of Russian concessions, saying more than once during his annual question-and-answer conference that Moscow was ready for a compromise.
But he attached numerous conditions to the idea of compromise, suggesting Moscow’s goal of subjugating Ukraine and winning major security guarantees from NATO and the West remain in place, as well as saying he does not consider Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy a legitimate leader.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump -- whose inauguration is set for January 20 -- has said he would move to end the war quickly and during his remarks at Turning Point’s America Fest convention on December 22, said, "We have to end that war. That war is horrible, horrible."
RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service has seen its audience grow significantly since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 and is among the most cited media outlets in the country. Its bold, in-depth reporting from the front lines has won many accolades and awards. Its comprehensive coverage also includes award-winning reporting by the Donbas.Realities and Crimea.Realities projects and the Schemes investigative unit.
![Many shops here are closed and apparently abandoned. Svitlana Yaroslavovna (pictured) operates one that is still open, selling sweets, milk and sausage. “When it’s quiet, I get nervous. It feels like maybe the military are surrendering us. I hope they don’t,” she confides after making us coffee. “Because [the nearby settlements of] Novohrodivka and Selydove were both surrendered very quickly even though there were fortifications there. I’m not a soldier, but I wish they hadn’t allowed them to fall." ](https://gdb.rferl.org/07682f19-0cca-4699-bb49-de631d02fd62_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
![Anton, who came to collect water on his day off.<br />
<br />
The local man evacuated his family but has remained to work at a mine in Pokrovsk that was still in operation in early December. “I think everyone is considering leaving. Only those who are waiting [for a Russian takeover] are not," he says. "I hope [Ukraine's military] will drive them away, and we can continue to live here."](https://gdb.rferl.org/55cfa829-1dc1-446b-ad5b-7f77dc02716d_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
![Vasyl, an elderly local crossing an empty street in Pokrovsk.<br />
<br />
“My friends have gone to the Dnipropetrovsk region,” he tells us. “The poor are suffering everywhere. No one needs people. This is a fight for territory, not people. I am 81 years old. I think if [the Russians] restore order there will be heat, gas, and so on. I am being very frank, but, people will have one hell of a time surviving [until then].” ](https://gdb.rferl.org/8610c9a8-c9a7-426e-9426-334a2bc9176d_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
