Russian occupation forces are advancing towards the strategically important city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated that the Defense Forces are engaged in intense battles there and that "unconventional decisions" will need to be made to strengthen Ukrainian defenses.
Although Syrskyi did not specify what measures might be taken, his alarming statement highlighted the deteriorating situation around Pokrovsk – a key railway and road hub for the Ukrainian army. This is reported by The New York Times.
The Russian occupiers are attempting to flank Pokrovsk. In recent days, the enemy has advanced south of the city and is now less than three miles (approximately 4.8 km, – UNIAN) from its outskirts.
Additionally, Russian forces are steadily moving through villages and settlements several dozen kilometers to the south, posing a threat to the last two Ukrainian strongholds in the southern part of the Donetsk region.
"Moscow is advancing in the Donetsk region at the fastest pace since 2022, capturing hundreds of square miles each month, leveraging its superiority in manpower to breach Ukrainian positions weakened by troop shortages. Analysts suggest that the Kremlin is trying to secure as many territorial gains as possible before newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump takes office next month and begins advocating for peace negotiations that are likely to be determined by the status of each side on the battlefield," the article states.
Military analyst Emil Kastehelmi from Finland's Black Bird Group notes that from September to November, Russia has captured over 600 square miles (approximately 1554 square kilometers, – UNIAN) of Ukrainian territory. This figure is roughly double the size of New York City. Furthermore, almost all of this captured territory is located in the Donetsk region.
According to the analyst, despite significant losses within the Russian army, the pace of advancement of the Russian occupation forces is accelerating each month. Kastehelmi predicts that Russia could occupy an additional 200-300 square miles (517-777 square kilometers) of Ukrainian land by the end of the current year.
The recent advance of Russian troops near Pokrovsk aligns with a strategy long anticipated by military analysts: to bypass the city’s main defensive lines – trenches, bunkers, and anti-tank ditches – and instead approach it from the south through more open terrain.
It remains unclear what the "unconventional decisions" announced by Commander Syrskyi will entail for strengthening Ukrainian forces. Sergey Kuzan, head of the non-governmental research group "Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation," states that the Ukrainian commander has experience conducting unexpected offensive operations, such as those in the Kharkiv region in 2022 and in the Kursk region this summer.
"When talking about unconventional decisions, including in the Pokrovsk direction, we recall these two examples and understand that this is Syrskyi's approach," he explained.
The publication reminds us that Pokrovsk, which had a pre-war population of about 60,000, is located on a key road connecting several cities. These settlements form a defensive arc that protects the part of the Donetsk region still under Ukrainian control. Additionally, it is the last major city in the central part of the Donetsk region controlled by Ukraine.
"Combined with the potential fall of Kurakhove and Velyka Novosilka, two Ukrainian strongholds in the south, the capture of Pokrovsk could pave the way for a complete Russian takeover of the southern part of the Donetsk region. This could also open the door for new attacks on the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region," NYT writes.
At the same time, Ukrainian military analyst under the pseudonym Tatarigami claims that Russian occupation forces are trying to control supply routes into Pokrovsk. Enemy strike drones are flying over the key road:
"This poses a serious threat to the supply process of Pokrovsk, which potentially jeopardizes the sustainability of Ukrainian defense in this area."
War in Ukraine: Key Updates
The Defense Forces find themselves in an operational encirclement in the Donetsk region – near Annivka in the Kurakhove direction. This is reported by DeepState. Platoon commander of the 24th Separate Assault Battalion "Aidar," Stanislav Bunyatov, says that the situation in the "Kurakhove pocket" is nearing critical.
Meanwhile, WSJ reports that newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed deploying European troops in Ukraine to oversee the ceasefire.
Recently, Trump stated that he does not support Ukraine's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. However, he wants a strong, well-armed Ukraine to emerge after any cessation of hostilities.