Moscow’s troops used the same pincer tactic on Velyka Novosilka that has enabled their recent capture of town after town in eastern Ukraine.

Russian forces are encircling the strategic eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, compromising Ukraine's supply lines and steel production. Most residents have fled, and those remaining face severe hardships,

Russia’s Defense Ministry claims that Russian troops have fought their way into the center of a strategically important eastern Ukraine town and raised the Russian flag there after a monthslong battle