Kyiv, June 29 (V7N) — Russia has deployed approximately 110,000 troops in an intensified effort to capture the strategically critical city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Friday.

According to Syrskyi, Pokrovsk has become the fiercest battleground along Ukraine’s 1,200-kilometer frontline. Despite nearly a year of sustained assaults, Russian forces have yet to seize control of the city.

"Pokrovsk has been a key objective for Moscow since the early days of the war," Syrskyi said. "However, despite their massive military buildup and arsenal, Russian forces have repeatedly failed to achieve their goal."

Elsewhere, Ukraine’s counteroffensives continue. Two people were killed following a Russian drone strike on the southern port city of Odesa, Ukrainian authorities confirmed.

In a separate development, Kyiv claimed responsibility for an attack on a Russian military base in Russian-occupied Crimea, reporting that three Russian helicopters were destroyed in the operation.

The situation highlights the continued volatility of the war, with both sides stepping up offensives amid growing international concerns over escalation.

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