Russian Forces Advance in Donetsk Amid Ukrainian Counteroffensive in Kursk
- Ukraine is evacuating civilians as Russia advances on two strategic towns in Donetsk.
- Families with children in Pokrovsk and surrounding villages are being forced to leave.
- Tensions escalate as Russian forces make significant gains along the eastern front.
On August 19, Russia's defense ministry announced the capture of Zalizne, a town in Donetsk, as Ukrainian military reports indicated over 20 attacks on their positions near Toretsk on the same day. Toretsk, a fortified mining town with a pre-war population of 30,000, is facing intense assaults, with Ukrainian forces also engaged in heavy fighting near Pokrovsk, approximately 30 miles southwest. Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine's military commander, confirmed ongoing clashes in the Pokrovsk area, while Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian defenses in nearby Novohrodivka were crumbling. As Russian forces advance, local officials in Pokrovsk warned that civilians have only a week or two to evacuate. The head of the city's military government, Serhii Dobriak, announced a mandatory evacuation for families with children, citing the imminent threat from Russian artillery. He emphasized the necessity of the evacuation as basic services are expected to deteriorate with the advancing Russian army. Simultaneously, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky reported significant territorial gains in Russia's Kursk region, claiming control over 1,250 square kilometers and 92 settlements. This incursion, which has entered its third week, aims to divert Russian troops from the Donbas region, alleviating pressure on Ukrainian forces. Reports indicate that Ukrainian forces have destroyed three strategic bridges over the Seym River, while Russian military bloggers noted the construction of temporary pontoon bridges in response. Despite the challenges in Donetsk, Ukraine's military continues to assert its operational successes, with reports of heavy Russian troop losses since mid-August.