Russian Forces Advance to Within 1.5 Kilometers of Pokrovsk, Key Ukrainian Transit Hub

Dec 13, 2024, 05:40 AM

Russian forces have advanced to within 3 miles of the key Ukrainian transit hub of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, marking a significant push towards this strategic city with a pre-war population of about 60,000. The offensive, part of a broader Russian strategy to capture territory before the potential influence of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's administration, has seen Moscow's troops bypass Pokrovsk's main defensive lines by flanking the city from the south. This maneuver aims to disrupt Ukrainian supply routes and potentially isolate the city. The Ukrainian military has acknowledged the loss of several positions near Pokrovsk, with Russian forces now just 1.5 kilometers from the city's outskirts. The situation is described as 'intense' with ongoing heavy fighting, as Ukrainian forces attempt to counter the Russian advance.