Russian breakthrough near Pokrovsk caused confusion in Kyiv – Financial Times

The breakthrough of Russian forces north of Pokrovsk “has caused a wave of outrage and confusion in Kyiv” on the eve of the meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Alaska.

This was reported by the Financial Times.

“In recent days, Russian troops have advanced nearly 15 kilometers through a narrow corridor parallel to the town of Dobropillia — a mining settlement that has become an important logistics hub north of fortified Pokrovsk, which Russian forces have almost encircled. This unexpected breakthrough threatens to cut a vital road connecting Dobropillia to Kramatorsk… and would allow Kremlin forces to bypass and flank a strip of fortifications and defensive lines built in recent months. This is one of Russia’s most significant achievements in the past year, and it comes at a dangerous moment for Ukraine, whose army is suffering from a shortage of manpower and ammunition,” the article states.

According to Ukrainian military personnel and analysts, the real situation has turned out to be significantly worse than expected.

“Russia’s tactical breakthrough north of Pokrovsk is unsurprising given the lack of continuous defensive lines, and it could develop negatively,” said military expert Michael Kofman.

The “breakthrough of Russian troops has also triggered a wave of criticism in Ukrainian military circles and among volunteers,” the newspaper writes. They warn of the gradual weakening of defensive lines caused by months of continuous Russian attacks and the increasingly frequent use of strike drones to hit Ukrainian logistics facilities behind the front line. They add that the situation is worsened by a shortage of personnel, leaving enemy positions depleted.

“The situation in Donetsk region is the result of actions or inaction that we have been constantly warned about… for a year and a half now,” the newspaper quotes volunteer Taras Chmut as saying.

Today, a German journalist wrote that events near Pokrovsk are developing rapidly to the detriment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. And in the coming hours, the fate of the remaining 29% of Donetsk region still under Ukrainian control could be decided.