The successes of the Ukrainian army in the Kursk region did not stop the continued advance of the Russians in Donbass, writes the American newspaper The Washington Post.
According to analysts, one of the goals of the surprise offensive of the ZSU in Russia in the last 2 weeks was to make the Russian army withdraw its troops from the front in Donbass. However, no large-scale withdrawal is noticed, and the fate of a city like Pokrovsk – an important center for the Ukrainian army, is unclear.
Russian troops are advancing on the outskirts of Pokrovsk (Donetsk region), this is no secret, officials in Ukraine admit.
On Monday, Ukrainian local authorities issued an order for the mandatory evacuation of families with children from the city of Pokrovsk, where 53,000 people still live. According to authorities, Russian forces are now advancing so quickly that it is imperative that families leave the city and other settlements in nearby areas.
There is some evidence that the Russians actually reached the last line of defense outside of Pokrovsk. According to analysts, Russia's methodical advance in Donbas shows a possible weakness in Ukraine's strategy to draw Russian forces to Kursk.
Russia continues to have a significant advantage in manpower and firepower. Ukrainian soldiers in the Pokrovsk region say Operation Kursk has not changed the Russian offensive – on the contrary, the pressure has increased in recent days. For the Russian occupiers, the Pokrov direction remains a priority.