Putin’s troops advance on key city as Ukraine’s forces seek to push them back

Delays earlier this year in approval for fresh Western military aid have left some Ukrainian units struggling for equipment

Ukraine’s President Zelensky described the ongoing fighting in the Donetsk as ‘extremely challenging” (Getty Images)

Russian forces are advancing gradually towards the key strategic city of Pokrovsk in the eastern region of Donetsk, as Ukraine struggles with soldier shortages as delays in military aid from the West hold up the equipping of fresh brigades.

Pokrovsk, which serves as a key supply route for other Ukrainian outposts, has become the main focus of fighting in the last few weeks. Military analysts fear that Ukrainian equipment is insufficient to hold off the advance – although they expect the Russian offensive to slow down as it reaches more built-up areas.

Russia’s defence ministry claimed in the last few days it had taken control of Prohres and Yevhenivka - two villages to the east of Pokrovsk - with efforts now focussed on making a breakthrough closer to Pokrovsk.

President Zelensky said recently that the fighting around the vast Donetsk frontline is proving "extremely challenging" but that Ukraine “has the strength to achieve its goals”.

Pokrovsk has undergone major shelling in the past months as Russia looks to take hold of a key outpost (AFP) (AFP via Getty Images)

A Telegram post from the Khortytsia group of forces said Russia is expending huge resources to reach Pokrovsk, but that forces “continue to courageously hold the defence” despite a “tense and difficult situation”, according to the Kyiv Independent.

But Ukrainian military analyst Kostiantyn Mashovets warns that Russia is close to an operationally significant military win which they may achieve by the end of August.

Experts believe Russian forces may have created a more dynamic command structure, as they appear to be responding more quickly to Ukrainian vulnerabilities by redeploying troops at speed, Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported.

Meanwhile, Ukraine have focussed airstrikes on Russian-controlled Crimea, as a nine-story building in the city of Sevastopol was evacuated after being struck by a missile fragment.

The fragment reportedly broke through the roof but was stuck on the technical floor, meaning it did not reach any of the residents, according to the city’s governor Mikhail Razvozhayev.

No one was hurt, the Russian-installed governor said, in what he described as a “massive” attack on the city as he warned locals not to approach any other missile fragments.

Sevastopol, the Russian-controlled Crimean city where two Ukrainian naval vessels are still moored (AP)

Crimean Wind, a Telegram channel which reports reliably on military movements in the Crimean peninsula, said further explosions were heard in Saki - where there is an airbase - and Yevpatoria.

Other Ukrainian strikes were reported in the western Russian city of Kursk according to active governor Aleksey Smirnov, as Ukrainian Defense Forces attacked a TV tower, oil depots and an equipment factory, Liga.net reported.

In positive news for Ukraine’s naval forces, a Turkish warship was unveiled this morning in front of Ukrainian first lady, Olena Zelenska.

The Hetman Ivan Vyhovskyi, named after the 17th century military leader, is an anti-submarine warship produced for Ukraine.

The warship is the second anti-submarine vessel built by Turkey for Ukraine (Ministry of Defense of Ukraine)

It is the second warship of its type to be produced by Turkey for Ukraine since the outbreak of war - however it won’t be officially handed over to Ukraine until the first quarter of 2027, the Kyiv Independent reports.

Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s defence minister, said the warships were built “due to Russian aggression, are equipped with cutting-edge weapons and will become a significant addition to our fleet”.

The first F16 fighter jets have arrived in Ukraine, a huge upgrade on the fleet of Soviet-era jets it currently holds.