Pokrovsk train station closes for civilian evacuations as security situation worsen

The train station in Pokrovsk has been closed for civilian evacuations due to a worsening security situation, according to Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin on September 5. Evacuations will now be conducted from the train station in Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, about 100 kilometers west of Pokrovsk, as announced by Ukrzaliznytsia, the state-owned railway company.

Residents of Pokrovsk were urged to evacuate on August 15 after Russian forces advanced to within approximately 10 kilometers of the town's outskirts. The U.K. Defense Ministry reported on September 1 that Russian troops had accelerated their advance toward Pokrovsk over the past week.

Ukrzaliznytsia emphasized the importance of quick evacuations for residents in front-line areas of Donetsk, urging them not to expose themselves and those assisting them to increased danger. The company has implemented varied boarding points for rail transport to comply with safety protocols. Local administrations have been instructed to organize buses to Pavlohrad for civilians wishing to evacuate from Donetsk Oblast.

Governor Filashkin stated that around 26,000 people, including 1,076 children, remain in Pokrovsk. Over the past month, 20,000 people have been evacuated from the town, which had a population of approximately 60,000 in January 2022.

Ukrainian parliament appoints Andrii Sybiha as foreign minister

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, appointed Andrii Sybiha as the Minister of Foreign Affairs on September 5, as announced by Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak from the Holos ("Voice") party on Telegram. The appointment was supported by 258 MPs.

Andrii Sybiha, a seasoned diplomat, has been part of Ukraine's Foreign Ministry since 1997 and served as Ukraine's ambassador to Türkiye from 2016 to 2021. Before this appointment, Sybiha was the deputy head of the President's Office from late May 2021, where he oversaw foreign policy. In July 2024, he was appointed First Deputy Foreign Minister, replacing Mykola Tochytskyi.

Ukraine will not exchange one territory for another – Zelenskyy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, commenting on Ukraine's operation in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, emphasized that Ukraine has no intention of exchanging one territory for another. He made it clear that Ukraine’s goal is to restore its own territorial integrity, not to seize Russian land. Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is not interested in Russian territory or imposing its way of life on Russian citizens. Instead, their military operations are focused on reclaiming Ukrainian land.

Zelenskyy highlighted that Ukraine respects international law and state sovereignty, asserting that the Kursk operation is a strategic move to strengthen the country rather than to gain new territory. While he refrained from revealing Ukraine's next steps or plans to seize additional Russian territories, he stressed that Ukraine's recent successes are remarkable and that they will hold any captured Russian territory as long as necessary.

This operation, according to Zelenskyy, is part of a broader strategy aimed at securing Ukraine's victory, which he plans to discuss further with the U.S. president.