Russia had planned to seize the Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk, a logistical hub in the Donetsk region, by November 2024. Its forces are a year behind schedule. Ukrainian defenders, although vastly outnumbered, have fought tenaciously to hold on to the Donbas defense line, killing over 20,000 Russian troops a month in the process. Now, Russia appears to be on the cusp of consolidating control over the ruins of the town as it pushes more and more troops into Pokrovsk’s shattered buildings, and Russian drones cut off Ukrainian defenders from resupply.
Pokrovsk is not an isolated battle. Russian forces are slowly turning
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