The unusual point when Russia approached Pokrovsk but did not attack
Russian troops have arrived on the outskirts of Pokrovsk but have not attacked the city, sparking speculation that this is a diversion by Moscow.
Báo Khoa học và Đời sống•23/07/2025
On July 19, the Ukrainian media (TCH) revealed that since the start of the Russian military's summer offensive (RFAF), they have captured more than 500 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in a month. TCH believes that Russia's summer offensive has now reached its peak, and it is still unpredictable how long this peak will last? TCH also noted that, although the RFAF was fighting on several fronts at once, Moscow's offensive in Sumy had slowed down, and the Ukrainian army (AFU) had even pushed the RFAF back from some positions. In contrast, the fighting in Donetsk was extremely fierce.
The RFAF has now established a 16-kilometer-wide encirclement around Konstantinovka, attempting to attack from three directions and encircle the small town. Fighting in the direction of the neighboring city of Pokrovsk is even fiercer. Nearly a third of the battles that take place on the front lines each day take place around this city. The Ukrainian website Medusa also made a similar assessment in its July 19 war report, saying that the AFU on the Sumy front direction, was trying to counterattack from the west into the center of the Russian-controlled area, trying to push the RFAF back to the border. In response, the Russian air force has launched dozens of attacks on the AFU offensive forces with precision-guided glide bombs. In the eastern part of the Russian-controlled area, the RFAF is launching an attack towards the town of Khotin, trying to relieve pressure on the Russian forces in the other two directions. The fiercest fighting on the battlefield is still concentrated around the city of Pokrovsk. Currently, the RFAF has made major breakthroughs from the east and south. In addition, the main Russian force has continued its attack north of Pokrovsk and is trying to capture the strategic town of Rodinske. For the AFU, if Rodinske fell, the communication line between Pokrovsk and the rear would be blocked, and the supply line west of Pokrovsk would be more closely covered by Russian fire; which meant that Pokrovsk would face the risk of being encircled by the RFAF.
But the “strange” thing is that the RFAF did not attack the city, although they advanced to the outskirts. The Ukrainian Medusa channel pointed out in its analysis of the war report: At the moment, no one knows whether the RFAF will advance directly into the city, or will they surround Pokrovsk? But there is one very suspicious thing: the RFAF in the south actually reached the outskirts of the city and could have entered the city for street fighting at any time; but they did not. Instead, the RFAF continued to advance south for a while and almost occupied the entire southern part of Donetsk (circled in red on the map). Meanwhile, the AFU continued to send troops to Pokrovsk and continued the war of attrition with the Russians. Medusa wrote that the city of Pokrovsk was like a "bait", attracting more and more Ukrainian troops to engage in attrition with the RFAF over the past year. Looking at the issue from this perspective, we cannot help but wonder: Is the RFAF’s goal not only to gain more territory but also to continue to wear down the AFU’s military? According to the New York Times, some analysts have made similar observations: the RFAF now seems to be ready to destroy the AFU in a more “systematic” way.
If this is true, Pokrovsk will become a “black hole” that swallows the Russian and Ukrainian armies, and is truly a “meat grinder” on the Ukrainian battlefield. Theoretically, if fighting based on attrition, the RFAF has a more solid foundation, much larger troops than the AFU, and Russia always has the incentive to attract a large number of people from the rear to join the army. Meanwhile, the AFU has a weak foundation, its numbers are not superior, and recruitment is not easy. In particular, conscription resistance and desertion are becoming more common in Ukraine, forcing Kiev to mobilize people over 60 to join the army and create female units in combat brigades. As Ukrainian reservists were continuously deployed to Pokrovsk, the RFAF used its superior firepower to wear down the AFU’s numbers, steadily eroding Ukraine’s resources, until Kiev’s military potential was exhausted. In a sense, this was a brutal war of attrition “Russian style.” What is remarkable is the way the AFU used its forces in Pokrovsk, which is reminiscent of the Battle of Bakhmut. During that fierce battle, President Zelensky repeatedly deployed well-trained reserve forces from the rear, to fight in the streets of Bakhmut and compete with the RFAF.
The final outcome was that the AFU suffered such severe losses that it greatly affected their counteroffensive in the summer. One day in the future, after the Pokrovsk operation ended, it could also have a tremendous impact on the battlefield, deciding whether Russia or Ukraine won. (photo source Military Review, Liveuamap, Lenta.ru, Kyiv Post).
But there is one very suspicious thing: the RFAF in the south actually reached the outskirts of the city and could have entered the city for street fighting at any time; but they did not. Instead, the RFAF continued to advance south for a while and almost occupied the entire southern part of Donetsk (circled in red on the map). 
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