Russian forces are close to capturing the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk — a symbolic victory that President Vladimir Putin has been anticipating for 21 months.
Fighting inside the city has intensified over the past few days after Russian troops successfully breached its defenses. The fall of Pokrovsk, whose strategic value has already significantly diminished but would still represent the greatest achievement of Russian forces since 2023, now appears almost inevitable, according to reports from the ground.
Although Kyiv has dismissed Russian claims that Ukrainian forces in Pokrovsk are already encircled, stating on Wednesday that active operations to halt the Russian advance are still ongoing, Ukrainian soldiers on the ground describe an increasingly dire situation. “The situation is difficult; all kinds of fighting are taking place — urban gunfire and shelling with all types of weapons,” a battalion commander told CNN, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
“We are almost surrounded, but we are used to that,” he added. Another soldier, who also asked not to be named for safety reasons, told CNN that the Russian army continues to advance. “The intensity of their movements is such that (Ukrainian) drone operators simply cannot keep up. The Russians often advance in groups of three soldiers, counting on two being eliminated, but one still reaching the city and securing a position. Around a hundred such groups can pass through in a single day,” said a soldier from the Ukrainian drone unit Peaky Blinders to CNN.
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Source: Mondo.rs Foto:Evgeny Biyatov / Sputnik / Profimedia