Ukraine has confirmed that Russian forces have advanced towards the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. Several positions near the strategically important city have been destroyed or captured, according to a Ukrainian military spokesperson on television.
The Russian invasion force is now a few kilometers south of Pokrovsk. Ukrainian army commander Oleksandr Syrsky described the fighting as “particularly intense” on social media, stating that Russia is deploying “all available troops” in an attempt to break through the lines.
Evacuations of residents began last summer due to the approaching conflict. In addition to the threat from the south, Russian forces are also advancing from the east, as reported by the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War.
Ukraine claims that Russia is suffering heavy losses, with an estimated 3,000 Russian soldiers eliminated in the Pokrovsk area over the past two weeks, though these figures have not been independently verified. Russia has intensified its military operations in eastern Ukraine, with November seeing the most territory captured compared to other months in the past two years, albeit a small area.
There are increasing indications of upcoming negotiations to end the conflict, with attention on Trump’s upcoming presidency. It is believed that Putin is trying to secure as much territory as possible before negotiations.
Source: NOS