Russian attacks cut off gas, water in Pokrovsk, governor says

Russian attacks have cut off gas and water supplies in the town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin said on Sept. 12.
The eastern front near Pokrovsk has been the scene of fierce fighting for several months and a focal point of Russia’s offensive in Donetsk Oblast. The city is an important logistical hub for Ukrainian forces.
Pokrovsk authorities urged residents to evacuate on Aug. 15 after Russian forces reached about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the town’s outskirts.
A modular filtration station that supplied Pokrovsk with water has stopped working due to the ongoing fighting in the area.
“It is currently impossible to resume its operation. We are working to solve this problem,” Filashkin said.
According to the governor, drinking water is delivered to residents, and more than 300 wells have been drilled in the Pokrovsk community.
A day earlier, Filashkin said that Russian forces destroyed a gas station that supplied Pokrovsk with gas.
Around 26,000 people remained in Pokrovsk as of early September. The town had a population of around 60,000 in January 2022.
As the security situation deteriorates, Pokrovsk’s train station was closed for civilian evacuations earlier this month. Evacuations now depart from the train station in Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a city 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Pokrovsk.