Russia's defense ministry released video on Thursday (November 20) showing its soldiers moving freely through the southern part of the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, patrolling deserted streets lined with charred apartment blocks.

Reuters was able to confirm the location of parts of the video shot in south Pokrovsk from buildings, signs, roads and trees which matched satellite and file imagery. The location in other parts of the video could not be verified.

The date on which the video was filmed could also not be verified.

Russia has been threatening Pokrovsk for more than a year, using a pincer movement to attempt to encircle it and threaten supply lines. Russian maps now show the city under Russian control and Ukrainian troops encircled in neighboring Myrnohrad.

Ukrainian maps show Pokrovsk as a grey zone under no side's control and Myrnohrad not fully surrounded.

Moscow says taking Pokrovsk, dubbed "the gateway to Donetsk" by Russian media, would give it a platform to drive north towards the two biggest remaining Ukrainian-controlled cities in the Donetsk region - Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

In the video, which Reuters was able to verify as having been shot in south Pokrovsk, Russian troops are shown walking unchallenged along the empty streets, one pushing a stretcher on wheels. The footage does not show them coming under any attack.

Windows and doors hang shattered from blackened and half-demolished buildings. The branches of silver birch trees are torn by bombs. Even the pedestrian crossing signs are battered and bent. No civilians are seen.

Neither Russia nor Ukraine gives casualty figures for the war but the United States estimates that 1.2 million men have been killed or injured so far, making it Europe's deadliest conflict since World War Two.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Footage from the Russian Defence Ministry shows soldiers walking around the embattled Ukrainian city of of Pokrovsk. Video credit: Russian Defence Ministry

VIDEO SHOWS: FOOTAGE RELEASED BY THE RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY SHOWING RUSSIAN SOLDIERS WALKING AROUND SOUTHERN PART OF THE UKRAINIAN CITY OF POKROVSK

- Location in parts of video verified as being shot in south Pokrovsk from buildings, signs, roads and trees which matched satellite and file imagery.

- Date could not be independently verified

COMPLETE SCRIPT TO FOLLOW

SHOWS: POKROVSK, DONETSK REGION, UKRAINE (RELEASED NOVEMBER 20, 2025) (Russian Defence Ministry - Must not obscure logo) (MUTE)

1. SOLDIER WALKING AS SEEN FROM BACK SHOT / SOLDIER APPROACHING ROAD AND MORE SOLDIERS SEEN WALKING / DAMAGED BUILDINGS AND ROAD

2. VARIOUS OF DESERT ROAD AND DAMAGED BUILDINGS

3. DAMAGED BUILDING AND DEBRIS

GIVEN POKROVSK, DONETSK REGION, UKRAINE (RELEASED NOVEMBER 20, 2025) (Russian Defence Ministry - Must not obscure logo) (MUTE)

3. DAMAGED BUILDING

4. DAMAGED RESIDENTIAL AREA / GRAFFITI ON WALL

POKROVSK, DONETSK REGION, UKRAINE (RELEASED NOVEMBER 20, 2025) (Russian Defence Ministry - Must not obscure logo) (MUTE)

5. ZOOM-IN TO SOLDIERS SEEN WALKING THROUGH A STREET