The Russian army is in a phase of active and large-scale offensive operations, with a pace intended to convince the United States, the wider West and Ukraine itself that Moscow can quickly secure control of the Donbas by military means and thereby influence the course of negotiations on a peace agreement. At the end of October, Moscow claimed to have encircled Pokrovsk and to have trapped a Ukrainian grouping there that was facing inevitable destruction.

The Russian army is in the midst of an active and large-scale offensive, the pace of which is designed to convince the United States, the West and Ukraine itself of Moscow’s ability to quickly achieve control over the Donbass by military means and thus influence the course of negotiations on a peace agreement. Already at the end of October, Moscow announced the encirclement of Pokrovsk and the imminent death of the group blocked there.