Ukraine Conflict: Russian Forces Intensify Pokrovsk Assault

Ukraine's top military commander, Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, has admitted that Ukrainian troops are facing 'difficult conditions' defending the key eastern front-line town of Pokrovsk against massed Russian forces. Syrskyi confirmed that elite special forces had been deployed to protect key supply lines under Russian fire. Russia claimed to have thwarted a Ukrainian special forces deployment, killing 11 troops, but Kyiv denied this. The situation in Pokrovsk remains 'difficult and dynamic', with Ukrainian forces not surrounded but their supply lines under fire. The capture of Pokrovsk is crucial for Russia's efforts to seize the rest of the Donetsk region.

Nato's senior official, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, has stated that the alliance will stand with Ukraine until a long-lasting peace is achieved. He described Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a strategic failure for Vladimir Putin, despite recent advances on the battlefield. Dragone emphasized Nato's commitment to defending its member states, particularly in the Baltic region, and highlighted the alliance's efforts to upgrade its air defences in response to Russian incursions. He also noted that European nations are taking charge of their own defence and are committed to supporting Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces have hit a key fuel pipeline near Moscow that supplies the Russian army, according to Ukraine's military intelligence. The operation, carried out late Friday, targeted the Koltsevoy pipeline, which spans 250 miles and supplies gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel to the Russian army. Meanwhile, Russia continues its campaign of massive drone and missile attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, causing power outages and restrictions across the country. The conflict in the eastern Donetsk region continues, with Russian forces attempting to capture the city of Pokrovsk. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged that some Russian units had infiltrated Pokrovsk, but insisted that Ukraine is weeding them out. Russia has deployed around 170,000 troops in Donetsk in a major push to capture the city and claim a major battlefield victory.