A symbolic victory at a high price: Russian troops are close to capturing Pokrovsk, — CNN

"The situation is difficult, there are all kinds of hostilities, skirmishes in urban areas and shelling from all kinds of weapons. We are almost surrounded, but we are used to it," the channel's journalists quoted Ukrainian defenders as saying. According to the fighters, the Russian army continues its offensive, despite the losses. One of the operators of the "Sharp Kartuza" drone unit reported that Russian soldiers were advancing in small groups, regardless of casualties.

However, these movements have a very high intensity — up to a hundred such groups can be tracked per day. Many analysts believe that the battle for Pokrovsk has already lost its strategic importance. The city ceased to be a key logistics hub after Russia blocked major transport arteries in the summer and Ukraine diverted supplies. "From a military point of view, it no longer makes sense.

This is a battle for a symbol, not for territory," said George Barros of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). In his opinion, Vladimir Putin is using Pokrovsk as a symbol of "imminent victory" for Russia, seeking to demonstrate progress in a war that has generally reached a stalemate.

However, the capture of Pokrovsk will allow Russia to transfer its efforts to the northeast of the Donetsk region — towards Kostyantynivka and Druzhkivka, notes a fighter of the 129th brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to him, the main problem in this direction is that the Ukrainian military leadership will try to keep what is left of Pokrovsk as long as possible, because otherwise the loss of the city will look like a serious defeat.

"There was no order to withdraw the troops, although everyone already understands that the fall of Pokrovsk is inevitable. Pokrovsk was held for a very long time, but the forces were exhausted, and reinforcements were not sent in time," he said, adding that the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops through the narrow corridor would be associated with heavy losses.

In the next summary of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, it is stated that in the Pokrovsky direction, Ukrainian defenders stopped 62 attacks by the Russian army in the areas of the settlements of Shakhove, Fedorivka, Nikanorivka, Chervyn Liman, Rodynske, Dachenske, Novogrodivka, Myrnograd, Pokrovsk, Pischane, Zvirove, Kotlyne, Udachne, as well as in the direction of the settlements of Novopavlivka and Kucheriv Yar.