Russia's push for control of eastern Ukrainian towns has escalated into intense battles between Russian and Ukrainian forces. The key prize is Pokrovsk, a strategic location considered crucial to securing the remaining unoccupied areas of the Donetsk region.
According to Valery Gerasimov, Russia's chief of staff, his 2nd and 51st Combined Arms Armies have completed an encirclement around both cities. However, this claim has been disputed by Russian military reporters, who say there is no evidence to support Gerasimov's assertions. In fact, they argue that the two flanks of the supposed pincer movement are still several kilometers apart.
The Ukrainian side has also denied Gerasimov's claims, with Oleksandr Syrskii, Ukraine's commander-in-chief, stating that Russian propaganda is spreading false information about Ukraine's defense forces in Pokrovsk and Kupiansk. Syrskii notes that the situation around Pokrovsk remains difficult, but Ukrainian forces are conducting sabotage operations to prevent the Russians from gaining a foothold.
Meanwhile, geolocated footage reveals isolated Russian groups entering western and central Pokrovsk on October 23, but these units appear to be staking out positions rather than controlling areas within the city. Ukraine's General Staff estimates that around 200 Russian troops have infiltrated Pokrovsk, but says defending forces are preventing them from establishing a permanent presence.
The front lines around Pokrovsk remain dynamic, with Ukrainian military observer Konstantyn Mashovets reporting that Kyiv's troops were able to ambush Russian rear positions in the village of Sukhetsky. This has highlighted the porousness of the front line and made it difficult for Russia to establish a clear chain of command.
In an effort to boost morale and intimidate opponents, Vladimir Putin recently announced the successful test launch of a new nuclear-powered torpedo called Poseidon. The Poseidon reportedly has a range of 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles) and can create radioactive tidal waves targeting coastal regions. Other newly unveiled Russian weapons include the Burevestnik, a nuclear-capable cruise missile, and the Oreshnik, an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting targets in Ukraine.
Putin has boasted that these new systems are "nothing like them in the world" and will make Russia's rivals "extremely unlikely to appear anytime soon." However, experts remain skeptical about the real-world capabilities of these new technologies, with US President Donald Trump arguing that Putin should focus on ending the war rather than testing missiles.
According to Valery Gerasimov, Russia's chief of staff, his 2nd and 51st Combined Arms Armies have completed an encirclement around both cities. However, this claim has been disputed by Russian military reporters, who say there is no evidence to support Gerasimov's assertions. In fact, they argue that the two flanks of the supposed pincer movement are still several kilometers apart.
The Ukrainian side has also denied Gerasimov's claims, with Oleksandr Syrskii, Ukraine's commander-in-chief, stating that Russian propaganda is spreading false information about Ukraine's defense forces in Pokrovsk and Kupiansk. Syrskii notes that the situation around Pokrovsk remains difficult, but Ukrainian forces are conducting sabotage operations to prevent the Russians from gaining a foothold.
Meanwhile, geolocated footage reveals isolated Russian groups entering western and central Pokrovsk on October 23, but these units appear to be staking out positions rather than controlling areas within the city. Ukraine's General Staff estimates that around 200 Russian troops have infiltrated Pokrovsk, but says defending forces are preventing them from establishing a permanent presence.
The front lines around Pokrovsk remain dynamic, with Ukrainian military observer Konstantyn Mashovets reporting that Kyiv's troops were able to ambush Russian rear positions in the village of Sukhetsky. This has highlighted the porousness of the front line and made it difficult for Russia to establish a clear chain of command.
In an effort to boost morale and intimidate opponents, Vladimir Putin recently announced the successful test launch of a new nuclear-powered torpedo called Poseidon. The Poseidon reportedly has a range of 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles) and can create radioactive tidal waves targeting coastal regions. Other newly unveiled Russian weapons include the Burevestnik, a nuclear-capable cruise missile, and the Oreshnik, an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting targets in Ukraine.
Putin has boasted that these new systems are "nothing like them in the world" and will make Russia's rivals "extremely unlikely to appear anytime soon." However, experts remain skeptical about the real-world capabilities of these new technologies, with US President Donald Trump arguing that Putin should focus on ending the war rather than testing missiles.
Russia's pushing for control of Pokrovsk and it's like they're trying to prove a point... but the thing is, nobody knows what's really going on there 
Ukraine's saying the Russians aren't even in control, just staking out positions. And let's be real, it's not just about the military hardware - it's about morale and psychological warfare 
Putin's trying to make it look like he's all powerful with these new nuclear-powered torpedoes... but honestly, who knows what really works? The US president is saying they should focus on ending the war, which I think makes sense 
. But then again, this is politics, and we're never gonna know for sure 
. can't say im surprised tho cos russians r known 4 bein sneaky & cunning. maybe they got some new tricks up their sleeve or maybe its jus a big ol mix of propaganda & misinformation 
. dont know about these new nukes & missiles but if true, that'd just make things even more unpredictable 
.
. maybe hes hopin 2 distract from the fact that russia's not doin so great on the battlefield 
. and dont even get me started on trump's comments... 
guess that just shows how divided everyone is on this whole situation 
.
so, what do u guys think? 
against russians rn! pokrovsk is super strategic 4 them & its like russia thinks they can just roll in there & take it over lol 
but honestly wot's the point of all this? 
is it just 2 b the last laugh or wat? 
meanwhile putin & his new missiles are all like "hey world! see me! i'm a big boy now" 
. I mean, Russia's saying they've got their 2nd and 51st Combined Arms Armies encircling these towns, but it sounds like that might be some pretty sketchy reporting to me 
.
I don't get why he's bragging about it - won't someone just nuke him back? 
. And who knows what the Burevestnik and Oreshnik can do? It's like they're just trying to hype up some old tech 
. I mean, don't get me wrong, those sound like some seriously impressive specs, but when have nuclear-powered torpedoes ever actually worked out in real life? 
. I guess only time will tell if Putin's actually got some magic tricks up his sleeve or not 
. The Poseidon torpedo might sound scary, but let's be real, it's just a fancy name for something that's probably not as game-changing as everyone makes it out to be 
. I'm just waiting for someone to call him out on his antics, like a Russian version of Denny Crane from Boston Legal 
.
. Until then, I'll just keep watching from the sidelines and shaking my head 
like what happened to all the kids who were born back then? they'll never know their parents' world 
seriously though what is with all these nuclear weapons like russia is trying to play some kinda "daddy's got guns" game 
but let's be real we've seen how well that ends on the game of thrones 