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Russian dictator Vladimir Putin may have tasked the Russian military with securing territorial gains rather than seizing major settlements. Specifically, he may have instructed the military command to delay the seizure of Pokrovsk.
According to Ukrinform, this is stated in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Analysts note that during his annual Direct Line press conference on December 19, Putin claimed that Russian forces were advancing not in “100, 200, or 300 meters,” but in square kilometers along the entire front line. It appears, they say, that Putin is increasingly characterizing the progress of Russian forces in terms of square kilometers rather than highlighting the seizure of specific settlements, as he had previously done.
“It remains unclear which effort the Russian military command will prioritize, as Russian President Vladimir Putin may have tasked the Russian military with securing territorial gains rather than seizing significant settlements,” the analysts believe.
The report suggests that Putin may have instructed the Russian military command to delay the capture of Pokrovsk in favor of making further gains through open fields and small settlements, particularly as Russian forces advance closer to Donetsk-Dnipropetrovsk region administrative boundary.
“ISW has observed geolocated evidence sufficient to assess that Russian forces are within 10 kilometers of the Donetsk-Dnipropetrovsk Oblast administrative boundary, and Putin may be pressuring the Russian military command to advance to the boundary rather than to envelop Pokrovsk at this time,” the report states.
Analysts add that seizing the remainder of Donetsk region is one of Putin’s longstanding objectives in Ukraine. He is likely to highlight the advance of Russian troops toward the boundary to make bold claims about Russia’s successes in Ukraine for both foreign and domestic audiences.
“An organized offensive operation against well-defended towns could slow the rate of Russian advance during a critical moment in the Kremlin’s efforts to project the inevitability of Russian military victory on the global stage,” the report notes.
As reported by Ukrinform, there were 235 combat engagements with the enemy on the front lines over the past day, with the heaviest fighting occurring in the Kurakhove and Pokrovsk sectors.
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