KYIV, Ukraine — Intense fighting is taking place around the crucial eastern city of Pokrovsk after a prolonged offensive by Russian forces, according to Ukraine’s top military commander. Analysts believe that Russian troops are now only a few kilometers away from the city.
In a recent battlefield update, the General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces successfully repelled nearly 40 Russian attempts to breach their defenses within just 24 hours. “Russian occupiers are deploying all available resources to break through our lines,” stated Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the chief of the Ukrainian army, in a social media post on Wednesday night, highlighting that his troops are currently outnumbered.
The ongoing battle for control in the Donetsk region has seen Ukraine’s defenses buckle since the start of the year, as Russian forces have intensified their push to take over the entire Donbas area. The strategy of overwhelming Ukraine’s defenses involves a significant increase in troop numbers and the deployment of powerful glide bombs designed to obliterate fortifications.
Pokrovsk, once home to around 60,000 residents prior to Russia’s escalation of the conflict in February 2022, stands as one of Ukraine’s primary strongholds and a vital logistics hub within the Donetsk region. If captured, it would severely impede Ukraine’s defensive capabilities and critical supply routes, thereby bringing Russia closer to its objective of controlling the entire region.
Despite the relentless onslaught, Ukraine’s tenacious defense, supported by Western military assistance, has resulted in considerable losses for Russian forces, both in terms of manpower and equipment.
A significant concern for the Ukrainian government is the potential reduction in vital military support amounting to tens of billions from the United States, particularly with an incoming administration under President-elect Donald Trump.
As noted by the Institute for the Study of War, recent assessments reveal that Russian troops have approached within approximately 6 kilometers (4 miles) from Pokrovsk, making advances from the southern front. The intensity of the Donetsk operations has not come without a heavy toll, with indications that the losses endured by Russian forces might hinder their capability to launch more extensive offensives in the future.
Although the Russian campaign has been slow, it has seen a recent uptick in pace, forcing Ukrainian forces to conduct strategic withdrawals in certain areas. Nonetheless, significant victories remain elusive for the Russian military.
Reports from Ukrainian media suggest increasing tensions among military leadership as the pressure mounts, with claims that Gen. Syrskyi has taken personal command of certain brigades positioned near Pokrovsk.
Adding to the situation, a prominent Ukrainian commander, Serhii Filimonov, who leads the “Da Vinci Wolves” battalion of the 59th Motorized Brigade, voiced that current defense strategies at Pokrovsk are flawed. On his Telegram channel, he criticized senior officers for setting unrealistic expectations without a proper understanding of the frontline dynamics.
On a related note, a special meeting of the Board of Governors for the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog expressed concern over attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure critical for the safety of nuclear power facilities in the country, although it did not directly accuse Russia.
Ukraine operates four nuclear power plants, including Zaporizhzhia, the largest in Europe. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly raised alarms about the risks posed to these facilities during the ongoing conflict. Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid aim to demoralize civilians by depriving them of power and disrupting military production efforts.
The IAEA convened a meeting in Vienna at Ukraine’s request, where a resolution condemning these strikes gained majority support with 22 votes in favor, 10 abstentions, and opposition from China and Russia. One member state did not participate in the vote, according to diplomats familiar with the proceedings, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
