The Russian forces are now only about eight kilometers from the strategically important Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, and the city could fall within a few weeks, Ukrainian military bloggers claim. Pokrovsk is located on the main road between the Dnipro and Donetsk. Through this city, the supplies of the Ukrainian forces go further in Ukraine. Palle Ydstebø, head teacher in the section for land power at the War School at Forsvarets høyskole Photo: Hanna Johre / news – Russia now has the city within range of its artillery. This means that Ukraine can no longer use the city as an important supply point, says Palle Ydstebø, head teacher in the section for land power at the War College to news. The city has a railway and is an important road junction. Military bloggers write that the Ukrainians are inferior and that their forces are in danger of being surrounded by the Russians. – Ruinhaug The Ukrainian military tactic is probably that they want the Russians into the city, and then inflict heavy losses on them. – What is happening is a tactical setback for the Ukrainians. It is likely that they will be able to hold the city, but the city may end up in a pile of ruins, as we saw in Bakhmut, says Ydstebø. May affect the fighting in Russian Kursk In August, Ukraine launched a surprise invasion into the Kursk region of Russia. The setback in Donetsk puts this military tactic in a new light. If the city of Pokrovsk is taken by Russia, it will be a serious setback for Ukraine. Photo: ROMAN PILIPEY / AFP One question is whether Ukraine must now transfer forces from Kursk to try to stop the Russian advance at Pokrovsk. It can happen to some extent, according to Ydstebø. – The most important thing about the invasion in Kursk has been political, that is to test Russia’s red lines. Ukraine has confirmed that there will be neither a third world war nor that Russia is willing to use nuclear weapons. Powerful attacks The last few days have been bloody. Yesterday, 50 soldiers were killed and around 200 injured in a Russian rocket attack on a military camp in Poltava, four hours’ drive east from the capital, Kyiv. Last night seven were killed and 40 injured in a violent attack on the western city of Lviv, which has relatively been spared the heaviest Russian attacks so far in the war. Wants to be allowed to use long-range weapons The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyj yesterday repeated the demand to be allowed to use long-range weapons that have been donated from the West to reach Russian air bases further into Russia. NUPI researcher Julie Wilhelmsen. Photo: Hans Ludvig Andreassen / news NUPI researcher Julie Wilhelmsen says it is understandable that the US is reluctant to let Ukraine reach targets further into Russia. Wilhelmsen points out that Russia says it will reconsider its nuclear weapons doctrine. – In the Kremlin, there is a conspiracy that the USA will defeat Russia via Ukraine. The danger is that the conspiracy could gain legs if you reach further into Russia. Head teacher Ydstebø is not worried. There is a difference between what Russia says and what they do, he believes. – The strategic dimension is so limited, so this is not a war in which they use nuclear weapons, says Ydstebø. Published 04/09/2024, at 22.11
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Ukraine has lost Pokrovsk as a supply city in Donetsk – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
