Russian troops move on Pokrovsk, Ukraine,

Russian troops move on Pokrovsk, Ukraine,

Russian armed forces are now only three kilometers from the outskirts of the strategically important city of Pokrovsk in the east of Ukraine. This was reported by the Ukrainian map service Deepstate after the advances on Wednesday. In addition, the Russians destroyed or conquered Ukrainian positions near the city, said a spokesman for the Ukrainian army.

attacks on Ukrainian positions

"The enemy attacked our defense positions in the Pokrovsk sector west of the village of Vidrodzennia and south of Novotroitske. As a result, two of our positions were destroyed and one lost," said Ukrainian military spokesman Nazar Voloshyn in a television address. The fight continues on the edges of Shevchenkove, a village in the Charkiw region in the east of Ukraine. Ukrainian military bloggers reported that the village had fallen into Russian hands, an assertion that has not yet been confirmed by official Ukrainian and Russian bodies.

gas supply at risk

The Ukrainian gas supply authority Donetskblgaz warned that Pokrovsk could be cut off from the gas supply from Thursday due to the "tightened situation". "Due to considerable damage to the gas pipes and persistent enemy attacks, it is impossible to eliminate the consequences of the combat acts on the gas distribution system and to restore the gas supply for customers," said Donetskblgaz in a message on Tuesday.

strategic importance of Pokrovsk

For months, Pokrovsk was the scene of some of the most violent fights on the Eastern Front, while Russia tries to win control over the city. The city is about 18 kilometers from the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk and is a strategic goal for Moscow. President Vladimir Putin has made it clear that his goal is to conquer the eastern regions of Ukraine, Donetsk and Luhansk.

Although Pokrovsk is not a big city - before the war she had about 60,000 inhabitants, many of which have fled since the Russian attack - she is on an important supply street that connects it to military bases. This street forms the backbone of the Ukrainian defense in the part of the Donetsk region, which is still under the control of Kiev. Currently around 11,000 people still live in Pokrovsk, according to the local authorities.

Visit of President Zelensky

President Wolodymyr Selenskyj visited the competitive city in November and met the soldiers there to defend the city. In a video he published on social media, you can see how he shakes his hands and gives them awards. "This is a tense and challenging direction," he said at that time. "Only thanks to the strength of our warriors is the East not fully occupied by Russia. The enemy is fought every day."

possible effects on the conflict

A possible presidential election campaign by Donald Trump in the United States increases the risk that military help from the largest source for Ukraine may no longer be able to flow while the conflict goes into the second year. The US Secretary of State Antony Flasch announced an aid package of $ 725 million for Ukraine on Monday, while the bid administration is trying to support Kiev in her remaining term.

The reporting was supported by Ivana Kottasová, Jennifer Hansler and Haley Britzky from CNN.