Military blogger: Russia advances towards strategic cities in eastern Ukraine

On December 13th, according to Jin10 data, Yuri Podolyaka, a pro-Russian military blogger, said on Friday that Russian forces are advancing towards the strategic city of Pokrovsk in Ukraine from the south, and are currently only 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) away from the city. Podolyaka stated that members of Russian sabotage and reconnaissance teams have already entered the city. Pokrovsk is an important logistical center for the Ukrainian army, and if it falls, it will be one of the largest military losses for Ukraine in months. Controlling this city, known as the ‘Donetsk Gateway’ by Russian media, would allow Moscow to severely disrupt Ukraine’s supply lines on the eastern front and advance its operation to capture Kharkiv. Kharkiv is at a higher altitude and could control a larger area. According to Open Source maps, the area of Ukraine controlled by Russia is equivalent to the size of the US state of Virginia, and it is advancing at the fastest pace since the beginning of the conflict in 2022.