Posted on 11/16/2025 7:44:07 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
A Russian victory in Pokrovsk will have a negligible impact on frontline dynamics but a far-reaching impact in Zelensky’s nation
After nearly 17 months of attritional combat, Russia is on the verge of capturing the Donetsk battleground of Pokrovsk. By leveraging the dense fog engulfing the city, the Ukrainian military estimates that between 300-500 Russian troops have entered Pokrovsk. Even more ominously, Russia is creating a troop “cauldron” to militarily encircle Pokrovsk and the neighbouring city of Myrnohrad.
As Russia inches towards this much-anticipated battlefield success, the mood in Kyiv is sombre. President Volodymyr Zelensky recently conceded that the situation in Pokrovsk is “very difficult”.
Ukrainian armed forces chief Oleksandr Syrskyi downplayed speculation about Pokrovsk’s imminent demise but warned that the frontline situation in Zaporizhzhia had “significantly worsened”.
Despite this atmosphere of gloom, the impact of a Russian triumph in Pokrovsk is not wholly clear. Although this would be Russia’s largest military triumph since Wagner Group mercenaries seized Bakhmut in 2023, the prevailing wisdom amongst military analysts is that Moscow has achieved a pyrrhic victory. This narrative reflects the staggering human costs of Russia’s offensive which are estimated to run in the tens of thousands.
A compelling argument, but does it tell the full story? From a military standpoint, Russia’s takeover of Pokrovsk would have clear tactical benefits. Pokrovsk is a key logistics hub in the western part of Donetsk. In addition to possessing a railway line, Pokrovsk sits at the junction of eastward roads to Kostiantynivka and Donetsk, and westward roads to Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia.
While Ukraine recaptured control of the transport hub of Lyman in October 2022, a defeat in Pokrovsk would hand Russia unmatched logistical dominance. Ukrainian troops are already being forced to walk 10-15km across treacherous terrain to access their positions and are having difficulty evacuating their...
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
More hyperbole has been flung than lead in this war…
Bkmk
Attrition warfare plays into Russia’s strength. Why can’t NATO find another way?
I thought this was a war between Russia and Ukraine?
Are you saying it's really a proxy were between Russia and NATO?
Pokrovsk is pretty much a done deal. If FReepers would look beyond our lazy, compromised, western tabloid media, they would be apprised of the situation.
Even relying on western media, when you see a bunch of modified technicals and motorcycles in the open, nonchalantly heading down the *main road* toward a targeted city, unmolested, kiss it goodbye.
It’s just a matter of how many Ukranian troops are able to get out alive.
Hard to see how Ukraine achieves the ability to surrender the govt to pro Russian factions until something happens to provide the EU and Washington neocons some key event.
The event must give them an excuse. “If only this had not happened, all those billions we sent there would not have been wasted! It’s not our fault. It would have worked . . . if only . . . if only.”
Don’t know what event will do that. I doubt this particular Russian victory upcoming will suffice.
One thing that does appear clear is that the bone breaking sanctions that were finally imposed within the last few weeks . . . have not generated a Russian retreat on the battlefield — which we can translate as “worked”. They haven’t worked.
The rump UK empire, Davos ,and USA neocons/Atlanticists made a long-shot gamble that they could destabilize Russia and somehow remove Putin
That bet failed.
But it was a mostly costless bet. Their Ukraine satrap is bearing the cost in blood.
It’s estimated Russia is losing 700 troops a day - that’s not winning
I had a good laugh at the claim that Russia has lost tens of thousands of troops taking Pokrovsk. The Western fabulists continue to just make stuff up out of thin air and expect people to buy it without the slightest evidence.
Pokrovsk essentially fell several weeks ago, with only outlying neighborhoods held since then. The war mappers just today showed the last outlying Ukrainian positions as having fallen. So Ukraine can no longer claim to be even holding on to a sliver of it by their fingernails. But still the Western media portrays the situation as if Ukraine holds the city and the Russians are outside the gates. It's all delusional.
IF ANYONE THINKS PUTIN WILL STOP WITH UKRAINE-—THEY ARE WRONG.
HE WANTS THE “LEGACY” OF REUNITING THE ORIGINAL SOVIET UNION UNDER HIS CONTROL
Neocon lies ! Russia stronk !
Nonsense.
Russia cannot even conquer little Ukraine, with current gains (literally) moving at a snail’s pace. Yet, we are to accept that the goal of ‘REUNITING THE ORIGINAL SOVIET UNION UNDER HIS CONTROL’ is in anyway realistic?
Impossible. He cannot even conquer Kyiv.
Estimated by who?
3-500 have entered, but they have 150k in the area🤔
Well now that you bring it up
It is a war between Russia, China, NK, and Iran against Ukraine, NATO and much of the west
Does it?
The once self declared “self sufficient” Russia is relying on food, fuel, ammunition, equipment and manpower from outside Russia to sustain its SVO/SMO/NWO.
This winter is going to be very interesting not just for the russian military but it’s civilian population and infrastructure.
Same for Ukraine, but events seem to be turning on Russia and their ability to sustain pitin’s war, sonething new for Russia and its citizens 🤔
Sanctions are designed to reduce revenue, not fight the war at a tactical level on the battlefield somehow.
Russian revenues are down (crashing, actually) and Russia is losing its revenue producing investments around the world, that took decades to develop. All the foreign refineries, gas stations and oil fields, about a half trillion dollars of investments - as just a partial effect of the sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, that President Trump announced on 23 October. This is an historic retrenchment of Russian influence, and loss of future income potential.
Crack! (That was the sound of a bone breaking - not the first (see Gazprom), and likely not the last).
Oil prices are low, as competitors produce to take Russia’s oil export market share. China, India and Turkey have all cancelled some orders for Russian oil in recent weeks, and increased orders from alternative suppliers. The discount on Urals crude to Brent, has blown open to around $20 a barrel, giving Russia its lowest Urals grade oil price of this war (so far), below $45 (nearing the average breakeven price for Russian oil fields).
Just as Gazprom was for many decades a cash cow supporting the budget of the Russian State, but has now become a loss generating ward of the State, Rosneft and Lukoil are now on the same sudden slide. Those two account for more than half (almost 2/3rds) of Russia’s oil exports.
What does Russia point to as a victory? The town of Pokrovsk (pre-war population of 60,000, not technically a city in the American census definition), within a days walk of where the battle lines were four years ago. This after over a Million Russian casualties, and having depleted the massive stores of tanks inherited from the Soviet Union.
The end is near.
adoorknob and denny the dimwit will be saddened.
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