In Kiev and other Ukrainian cities, we experienced nights of fear due to Russian bombing. Using drones and missiles, they aim to destroy energy infrastructure, but often also attack apartment buildings occupied by civilians. The death toll in one of the bloodiest and latest attacks, in the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil, stood at 34, including six children. However, despite the dramatic nature of these figures, in the last few hours it seemed that the outcome of the war that had been going on for almost four years would be determined in the East, in a city that before the Russian attack had a population of 60 thousand, and today is a series of ruins where fighting is being fought house to house, street by street: Pokrovsk. Taking control of key territory in the Donetsk region would allow Moscow to demonstrate how the territorial claims outlined in black-and-white in the 28-point peace plan agreed with the Trump administration are supported by progress on the battlefield. The text places the entire Donbass, namely the two regions of Lugansk and Donetsk, under Russian control.
FICTION AND REALITY
But to date, Moscow’s army has not completed its occupation of Donetsk: a percentage of between 12 and 15 percent remains in Ukrainian hands. The surrender of Pokrovsk, which is a major logistics hub, will pave the way for the map to be completely red. For weeks the Kremlin has been repeating that Pokrovsk has been taken, that Ukraine is surrounded, that the circle has closed with control of nearby Myrnohrad as well. On the other hand, we know: this is a war that also consists of propaganda, announcements, anticipation of something that might happen but has not yet happened. This is why Moscow sends isolated groups of soldiers flying flags on buildings, circulating photos, never mind that there is still no real control over the region. According to the Institute for the Study of the War (ISW), an independent American think tank, to date “the situation remains serious and dynamic, while Russian forces continue to attempt to conquer Pokrovsk and encircle Ukrainian forces in Myrnohrad (east of Pokrovsk)”. ISW repeated its analysis: after 21 months, Russian forces would likely have completed the conquest of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad “although the timing and operational implications of such conquests remain unclear at this time.” Therefore, the future tense is still used: something that is happening, not something that has happened. And there were unprecedented sacrifices in terms of loss of life in the Russian army, demonstrating the importance of the cause. The significant numerical superiority of the Moscow army had to be taken into account. The Russians relied on constant artillery and guided bomb attacks to destroy enemy strongholds, but also on simpler techniques, with small groups of soldiers, dressed as civilians, infiltrating various neighborhoods and mixing with the few remaining residents.
TELEGRAM
How do Ukrainians respond? Yesterday the Kiev Airborne Assault Force said on Telegram that they were recovering the Pokrovsk center. However, this is an unverifiable statement.
The Kyiv Independent website said: «”Ukrainian troops are liberating the center of Pokrovsk from Russian soldiers”, the Ukrainian army said on November 23. “Our position in the city center is holding, firefights are ongoing, but the enemy cannot fortify himself,” the Airborne Assault Force wrote on Telegram. “Defense forces detained the enemy and carried out search and destroy actions to liquidate the Russians in Pokrovsk.”
And we read in the post of the Ukrainian army: «In recent days, the Scale Separate Assault Battalion carried out clearing operations of the enemy presence in the area of the railway station, Pokrovsk Pedagogical School and Sobornyi Square». ISW recalls: “Ukraine’s Chief of Staff, Major General Andriy Hnatov, told the German newspaper Die Zeit on November 20 that the Russian military command had deployed a large number of troops to capture Pokrovsk and that there were about 400 Russian troops inside the city. Urban areas were easier to defend and more difficult to conquer, resulting in heavy Russian losses. Ukraine’s Eastern Operational Task Force reported that Russian forces maintained a high intensity of attacks and were primarily focusing efforts on capturing Pokrovsk, despite heavy losses. forcing the Russian military command to use operational reserves.” In summary: Russia is trying to make a final assault on Pokrovsk, whatever the cost.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
