Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin's forces focus on attacking key eastern town of Pokrovsk amid heavy losses
Vladimir Putin’s forces are focusing on attacking on the outskirts of a key eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk amid reports of heavy troop losses.
Around half of Russian attacks across the 620-mile front have focused on the area around the city, seen as a gateway to the rest of the Donetsk region, over the last week, Kyiv said.
“The enemy is trying to advance around the clock,” Maksym Bakulin, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian National Guard units fighting in Pokrovsk said.
The Russian defence ministry also claimed its troops had taken control of the village of Novoielyzavetivka, less than 10 miles to the southwest of Pokrovsk. The Ukrainian military has not confirmed Russia’s claims but DeepState, a Ukrainian war tracker known to have close ties to the military, records the town as being occupied.
Six people have also been killed after Russian drones blasted a hole in an apartment building in Sumy, northeastern Ukraine, the town’s authorities said. Ten others were injured.
“This is a terrible tragedy, a terrible Russian crime. It is very important that the world does not stop putting pressure on Russia for this terror,” Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky added.
