Russia Advances in Eastern Ukraine on Strategic City Pokrovsk

Russian forces claimed full control over Novohrodivka, advancing towards the critical city of Pokrovsk in Eastern Ukraine. While Russia aims to claim the entire Donbas region, Ukrainian forces are actively defending their positions. The conflict has led to diverse opinions on the effectiveness of Russian and Ukrainian strategies.

On Sunday, Russia announced it had seized full control of Novohrodivka, a town in eastern Ukraine, as its forces push towards the strategically vital city of Pokrovsk. Moscow's troops, holding roughly a fifth of Ukraine since their February 2022 invasion, are focusing on the Donbas region, equivalent to half the size of Ohio.

According to Russia's defence ministry, Novohrodivka lies just 12 km (7 miles) from Pokrovsk, a crucial rail and road center for Ukrainian forces. Concurrently, Yuri Podolyaka, an influential pro-Russian blogger, displayed maps indicating Russian advances beyond Novohrodivka.

The Ukrainian military reported repelling 29 Russian advances in the Pokrovsk sector. Despite Kyiv's efforts, Russian forces captured Nevelske. President Putin recently stated that a Ukrainian incursion into Russia's Kursk region did not hinder Moscow's progress in eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine maintains the operation aims to weaken Russian defensive lines.

(With inputs from agencies.)