Russia says Capture of Key Ukrainian City Pokrovsk:

Russia control of Pokrovsk, an important city in eastern Ukraine that has been under attack for almost two years. The announcement was made on Monday in a Telegram post shared by the Kremlin, quoting Russia’s Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov. The post also said that Russian troops have captured Vovchansk, a small city in the Kharkiv region. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian media that Gerasimov informed President Vladimir Putin about the “liberation” of the cities while Putin was visiting a command center near the front lines on Sunday. Pokrovsk is a key transportation and logistics hub in the Donetsk region, one of the areas Russia claims to have annexed from Ukraine. Before the war, about 60,000 people lived in the city. In recent weeks, Pokrovsk has been hit hard by Russian drones, artillery shells, and airstrikes. Many buildings have been destroyed, and large areas now lie in ruins. Ukraine has not yet confirmed that the city has fallen. However, Reuters reported that Russia is sharing a video showing its soldiers walking through Pokrovsk and raising a Russian flag in the city. Later on Monday, Putin publicly congratulated Russian troops for what he called a major victory. Speaking through the TASS news agency, he used the Russian name “Krasnoarmeysk” for Pokrovsk and thanked the soldiers and commanders for their “combat missions.” If Russia has indeed taken Pokrovsk, it would be one of its biggest gains in months and could give Moscow more control over supply routes in Donetsk. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is meeting with leaders from the United States and Europe this week. He wants to discuss how to move toward ending the war without giving up Ukrainian territory. Zelenskyy said that one of his main goals is to prevent Russia from keeping or being recognized for the land it has occupied. The situation remains tense, and Ukraine has not officially confirmed the loss of the city. More updates are expected in the coming days.

NEWS