Inside Russia's Southern Push: The Fight for Strategic Pokrovsk

Russia has intensified efforts to capture Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub in Donetsk oblast, aiming to encircle the city and disrupt Ukrainian supply lines. Shifting from failed frontal assaults, Russian forces are pursuing flanking maneuvers from the southwest but face stiff resistance. Ukrainian defenders, leveraging fortified positions, drone warfare, and precise counterattacks, have stalled Russian advances, forcing high casualties and undermining their operational capacity.

Linked offensives at Kurakhove and Velyka Novosilka have similarly faltered, with attempts to encircle strategic towns disrupted by Ukrainian countermeasures. Russian forces, already stretched thin, face daily losses exceeding 1,500 soldiers, straining resources and logistics. While Moscow seeks to secure gains before a potential ceasefire, escalating costs and limited progress threaten the sustainability of their southern Donetsk campaign.

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