Battle of Pokrovsk: The Ukrainian army announced that it has repelled Russian soldiers.

Ukrainian soldiers near the city of Pokrovsk in eastern Donetsk region say they have gained momentum in pushing back Russian troops.

Ukrainian forces in eastern Donetsk reported achievements in their struggle to repel Russian forces near the strategic city of Pokrovsk. The battle for the city, an important logistics center in the Donbas region, has been ongoing for more than nine months. Azhur, the battalion commander from Ukraine's 117th Brigade, said, "Are we holding them? We are. Are we pushing them? We are. Are we advancing? We are." He added, "We are not retreating right now. We have gained momentum." Located northwest of Donetsk city, Pokrovsk has become the focal point of Ukraine's efforts to slow down the Russian advance and secure control over vital supply routes. Evacuations from the frontline areas continue. At the end of March, mandatory evacuations were announced for families with children in the village of Bilytske and its surroundings on the frontline in Donetsk region. According to local police, officers and military representatives are urging parents to evacuate by speaking with them. In cases where families refuse to leave, Ukraine's "guardianship authorities" have the legal right to temporarily take children away from their families. According to child prevention department inspector Valerii Shakhrai, this measure is a rarely used last resort. Shakhrai stated, "Guardianship authorities have the authority to temporarily take children from families that refuse forced evacuation without depriving them of parental rights." He added, "Foster families. Then parents can leave the dangerous area and take the child, but we use this very rarely." Elsewhere in the country, the Ukrainian Air Force reported overnight attacks by Russian drones from Thursday to Friday. A total of 39 drones were launched, and air defense units managed to shoot down 24 of them. The drones targeted several regions, including Dnipro, Donetsk, and Zhytomyr. Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed during its daily press briefing on Thursday that it had gained control of the village of Zhuravka in the Sumy region in northern Ukraine.