Russian forces are advancing in the Ukrainian region of Dnipro

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Russian forces are moving towards the Ukrainian region of Dnipro, passing through the expected heavy urban fighting in the eastern region of Donetsk.

Ukraine has been preparing for urban warfare in Pokrovsk, a key logistics and transportation hub for the remaining Ukrainian-controlled units in the Donetsk region, since the summer.

But Russian forces advancing from the south are west of Pokrovsk and less than 7km from the road leading to the Dnipropetrovsk region, according to the Deep State mapping group, which has ties to the Russian Defense Ministry. Ukraine.

“They understand that they will lose a lot of their forces trying to take Pokrovsk so they decided to follow a different strategy and approach from the south and around,” Andriy Cherniak, a senior Ukrainian military officer, he told the Financial Times. on Sunday.

He added: “They will try to cut off all the assets of Pokrovsk so that our troops can leave there.”

Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on Sunday the seizure of Yantarnoye’s residence in the Donetsk region, about 50 kilometers south of Pokrovsk, following “offensive actions”.

“The border of the Dnipropetrovsk area is now 6.5 kilometers away,” Russian military spokesman Voenkor Kotenok wrote on his Telegraph channel on Sunday.

The next largest city within Dnipropetrovsk is Pavlograd, Ukraine’s largest military base. This area also includes Dnipro, which is the fourth largest city in Ukraine.

How quickly the Russian forces are able to take the main road to Dnipropetrovsk, depending on the size castles in the area together with the Ukrainian workforce, which is increasing limited supply.

A Ukrainian soldier whose brigade is fighting in the Pokrovsk area, who spoke to the FT on condition of anonymity, said the area would also be a factor, describing it as “deep, muddy and which is impossible”.

Russian forces have gained thousands of square kilometers of Donetsk territory by 2024. The Center for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, says Russia has captured about 4,200 sq km of area of ​​Ukraine last year, most of which was in the Donetsk region. .

This force put them in a position to take the main road to the Dnipropetrovsk region, which would eliminate the Ukrainian forces in Pokrovsk as well as forcing the Ukrainian forces to defend themselves from two sides at once.

“They’re trying to find enough space so that when their forces are gone, they have something to talk to,” Cherniak said.

Ukraine announced on Saturday that it had taken its first North Korean prisoners of war from Russia’s southern Kursk region, providing further evidence of Pyongyang’s involvement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the captured men were receiving medical attention, adding that “the world needs to know the truth about what is happening”.

Ukraine started a updated to push in Russia’s Kursk region last week, after losing nearly half of the territory captured in the August offensive. Russia’s territorial presence is seen by Ukraine and its allies as a key to potential negotiations.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Seoul on Monday that Kursk is important for Ukraine. “It’s certainly something that can contribute to any negotiations that may take place next year,” he added.

Pictures and cartoons by Steven Bernard