Ukrainian defenses are buckling under the relentless Russian pressure.
This happened in the area near Pokrovsk: instead of banging their heads against a heavily fortified city, Russian forces, as they do, circumvent it, seeking to cut all supply lines and encircle the defenders, at which point the garrison has to either surrender or be destroyed by attacks from all sides.
This playbook was implemented in Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Kurakhovo, Ugledar and so many other places.
What is striking now is that the northern prong, expected to turn west to encircle Pokrovsk, found weaknesses on the depleted defenses, and dashed north by 9 miles.
Post by Senior Editor Security Policy and Conflicts at German paper BILD, Julian Röpcke.
If the Ukr army does not finally and immediately send a *real* battalion (not a platoon-size “brigade”) to cut off and neutralize every Russian north of Nykanorivka, it can also give Putin Donetsk oblast for free.
Seriously, how long can you close your eyes to not see this?! pic.twitter.com/M0cUBTEwhI
— Julian Röpcke (@JulianRoepcke) August 11, 2025
The Russian breach of Ukraine’s eastern frontline has triggered a panic in the country – or, as the MSM would prefer, ‘a wave of indignation and confusion’.
This development comes three days before Friday’s historic Alaska summit between Donald J. Trump and Vladimir Putin.
Financial times reported:
“Ukrainian and western military analysts said that Russian forces had advanced nearly 15km over the past few days along a narrow corridor parallel to Dobropillia, a coal mining town turned key logistical hub north of the stronghold of Pokrovsk that Russian troops have nearly encircled.
The shock advance threatens to cut off a vital road linking Dobropillia to Kramatorsk, the de facto capital of Ukrainian-held Donetsk region which the Russians aim to capture, while allowing the Kremlin’s forces to bypass and flank a belt of fortifications and defensive lines built in recent months.”
> Azov ‘assumed responsibility’ for defending Pokrovsk sector
> Russia immediately punches through
Massive self-own from Zelensky’s elite Sturmabteilung https://t.co/n28aQbTK6c pic.twitter.com/UGAbbmpgqG
— RT (@RT_com) August 12, 2025
Reuters reported:
“Ukraine’s authoritative DeepState war map showed on Tuesday that Russian forces had advanced […] north in two prongs in recent days, part of their drive to take full control of Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
The advance is one of the most dramatic in the last year. DeepState said the Russians had surged forward near three villages on a section of the frontline associated with the Ukrainian towns of Kostyantynivka and Pokrovsk, which Moscow is trying to encircle by exploiting Kyiv’s lack of manpower.
‘The situation is quite chaotic, as the enemy, having found gaps in the defense, is infiltrating deeper, trying to quickly consolidate and accumulate forces for further advancement’, DeepState said on its Telegram channel.”
As usual, the Ukrainian general staff did not confirm the advance on Tuesday morning – but not even the MSM is waiting for them anymore – FT and Reuters now run with the unofficial – but much more reliable – Telegram sources.
Additional visuals from Bilozerske just north of Dobropillia after it was bombarded heavily last night by the Russian Aviation. pic.twitter.com/400JRuknzU
— Monitor (@MonitorX99800) August 12, 2025
Former Nazi Azov regiment chief of staff Bohdan Krotevych took to X to post a message to Zelensky:
“Mr. President, I sincerely don’t know what exactly is being reported to you, but I’m informing you: on the Pokrovsk – Kostiantynivka line, without exaggeration, it’s complete chaos. And this chaos has been growing for a long time, worsening with each passing day.
The command structures currently being appointed (or already appointed) to ‘fix the unfixable’ will most likely be blamed for the chaos that’s already unfolding. A stable line of combat contact, as such, effectively doesn’t exist.
Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad are almost surrounded. Kostiantynivka is in a semi-encirclement. The enemy is advancing toward Kramatorsk and Druzhkivka.”
Read more:
BATTLE FOR POKROVSK: Key Stronghold Surrounded by 3 Sides – Defenses in the South of the City Are Crumbling – To the North, Mining Town Rodinsky Is Under Attack (VIDEOS)
The post PANIC IN KIEV: Russian Forces Breach Ukrainian Defenses, Make a Major Breakthrough in Donetsk Region appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.