Russians are rapidly approaching Pokrovsk: Ukrainian military is preparing for "non-standard solutions" - NYT
Russian troops are rapidly approaching Pokrovsk, a key railroad and road junction in the Donetsk region.
According to Censor.NET, The New York Times reports.
According to The New York Times, the enemy has advanced south of the city and is now less than 5 km from its outskirts.
Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that Ukrainian troops are engaged in heavy fighting in the area of Pokrovsk. To strengthen the defense, he said, "non-standard solutions" are needed. What measures will be taken has not yet been specified.
The Russians are trying to bypass the main defense lines of the city from the flanks, using open terrain.
"Moscow is advancing in the Donetsk region at its fastest pace since 2022, seizing hundreds of square miles every month, using its manpower advantage to break through Ukrainian positions weakened by a lack of troops. Analysts say the Kremlin is trying to secure as many territorial gains as possible before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month and begins to push for peace talks on terms that will likely be determined by each side's status on the battlefield," the article says.
According to military analyst Emil Kastehelmi of the Finnish Black Bird Group, from September to November, Russian troops seized more than 1,554 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory, an area twice the size of New York City. "The Russians are not only continuing to advance but are increasing their pace despite significant losses," Kastehelmi said.
Analysts predict that by the end of the year, Russian troops could occupy another 200-300 square miles (517-777 square kilometers) of territory.
Non-standard solutions and examples from the past
Experts emphasize that Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi is known for his unexpected strategic decisions. Serhiy Kuzan, head of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, a non-governmental research group, recalled the successful operations of Ukrainian forces in the Kharkiv region in 2022 and in Kursk region this summer.
"Speaking about non-standard solutions, including in the Pokrovske direction, we recall these two examples and understand that this is Syrskyi's approach," Kuzan explained.
The importance of Pokrovsk and threats to the region
Pokrovsk, which had a pre-war population of about 60,000, is located on a key road connecting several towns that form a defensive arc. It is the last major city in the central part of the Donetsk region that is still under Ukrainian control.
If Pokrovsk falls, it could pave the way for further Russian seizures of the southern part of the Donetsk region. In particular, the occupiers may try to take control of such settlements as Kurakhove and Velyka Novosilka, which would pose a threat to the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region.
A Ukrainian military analyst under the pseudonym Tatarigami noted that the occupiers are actively using attack drones to hit key supply routes to Pokrovsk. "This is a serious threat to the supply process of Pokrovsk, which potentially threatens the stability of Ukrainian defense in the area," he emphasized.
