Russia enters Pokrovsk, Pokrovsk front, Ukraine conflict, Russian Army

After more than a year of fierce fighting, Russian forces finally broke into Pokrovsk - Ukraine's key logistics hub in Donetsk.

After months of fierce fighting, Russian troops have finally broken through Ukrainian defense lines and entered the center of Pokrovsk, the “iron door” of Donetsk. Hundreds of soldiers are fighting among rows of ruined houses, with smoke and fire filling the sky. Sources from both sides confirm that Pokrovsk has become the fiercest battlefield in the East since the beginning of 2024.

President Vladimir Putin has declared Pokrovsk “completely surrounded,” but Ukrainian officials have denied this, saying the military still controls much of the western part of the city. The extent of Russian control is disputed, but the presence of Russian troops in the city is a sign that the tide has turned.

Pokrovsk has long been a link in Ukraine’s multi-layered defense system in Donetsk. The city is not only located on a major railway line, but also connects to several strategic highways leading to western logistics zones. If Pokrovsk falls, Russia could open a corridor deeper into Ukraine.

Several hundred Russian troops have entered the city, breaking into small groups to conduct reconnaissance and sabotage, according to the Ukrainian open-source analysis group DeepState. President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted that the number “could be just the tip of the iceberg,” and affirmed that Kiev was mobilizing reinforcements to try to hold the defense line.

At one point, Russian soldiers attempted to hoist the tricolor flag over an administrative building in Pokrovsk, but it was quickly destroyed by Ukrainian drones. The image became a symbol of the fierce standoff between the two sides, where every inch of land was paid for in blood.

DeepState added that Russia had cut a key supply line to the town of Myrnohrad, about 3 km east of Pokrovsk. At the same time, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted that Russian forces were expanding their control over the southeastern outskirts of Myrnohrad, threatening to close the encirclement around Pokrovsk.

“The situation is extremely tense, part of the city has been invaded by the Russians,” Denys, a Ukrainian drone pilot, told The New York Times. “They keep sending more troops, trying to completely surround the city. The fighting is fierce every time the two sides get close.”

Observers say Russia has changed its tactics: instead of attacking head-on with artillery and tanks, they use small combat teams, combining reconnaissance drones and suicide attacks. This approach allows Russian troops to penetrate deeper, while weakening Ukraine's ability to resupply and hold territory.

According to Ukraine’s 7th Airborne Corps, Moscow has massed around 27,000 troops around Pokrovsk, along with 100 tanks, more than 250 armored vehicles and 160 artillery pieces of various types. Ukraine has warned that Russia may be preparing a larger-scale offensive to “finish” the city’s defenses.

Despite the pressure, Ukrainian units have continued to counterattack, inflicting significant losses on their opponents. Dozens of Russian armored vehicles and artillery have been destroyed in the past week, but Kiev admits that the losses have also been heavy. “The situation is deteriorating by the hour,” DeepState warned, “it may be too late to turn the tide.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Putin announced his readiness to temporarily cease fire for “two to six hours” to allow foreign journalists to enter the besieged area to observe the situation. He recalled the siege of the Azovstal steel plant in 2022, calling it “a lesson for the Ukrainian leadership in deciding the fate of its soldiers.”

Kiev was quick to dismiss Mr Putin’s claims. Lieutenant Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Ukrainian Counter-Disinformation Center, insisted there was no siege of Pokrovsk or Kupiansk, calling it a “propaganda campaign aimed at pressuring the West.” But with fighting spreading and supply lines threatened, Pokrovsk risks becoming the next key battle in eastern Ukraine.

The War Zone See source link

Original post link Copy link

https://www.twz.com/news-features/russian-forces-finally-break-through-into-key-eastern-ukrainian-stronghold

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/nga-tien-vao-pokrovsk-mat-tran-pokrovsk-xung-dot-ukraine-quan-doi-nga-post2149065019.html