Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on 2/12/2024, "If anyone still has doubts, we are ready to allow foreign journalists, including Ukrainians, to visit Krasnoarmeysk to see firsthand what is happening and who controls this settlement." Krasnoarmeysk is Russia's name for Pokrovsk city in Donetsk province.

He stated that when Russia first made such a proposal, Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs objected and "threatened" journalists. "But Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is no longer relevant because the city is now completely in the hands of the Russian military," President Putin emphasized.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to the press in Moscow on 2/12/2024. *Photo: AP*

The Kremlin leader noted that certain dangers remain in Pokrovsk due to its proximity to the front lines, but suggested that if Russian journalists operate there, Western reporters could also.

"Therefore, we will do everything possible to ensure their safety and are ready to guide them through the districts of Krasnoarmeysk. The same applies to Kupyansk," President Putin added.

Ukraine has not commented on this statement.

During a meeting with President Putin on 1/12/2024, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported that Russian forces had gained full control of Pokrovsk and Vovchansk city in Kharkov province.

Russian defense television that day broadcast a video showing soldiers raising a flag in Pokrovsk's main square and conducting battlefield clearing operations within the city.

The Ukrainian military later asserted that its forces had not been dislodged from Pokrovsk and continued to search for and eliminate enemy forces in the city's urban areas. Ukraine also claimed to have repelled Russian soldiers who had planted a flag in central Pokrovsk.

Pokrovsk, spanning nearly 30 square kilometers, is a crucial logistics hub and a key Ukrainian stronghold in Donetsk province. Control of the city would weaken Ukraine's defense lines and supply capabilities, bringing Russia closer to its goal of full control over Donetsk province.

Location of Vovchansk, Kupyansk, and Pokrovsk. *Graphic: ISW*

Kupyansk, covering over 33 square kilometers, is situated on the Oskol River and lies approximately 85 kilometers from Kharkov, the provincial capital. Securing Kupyansk could enable Russia to advance further west and support forces in the Donbass region.

Russia claimed to have captured the city on 20/11/2024, but Ukraine immediately refuted this. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on 1/12/2024 that Kyiv's forces had nearly pushed all enemy combatants out of the city.

In late October 2024, President Putin had previously ordered the Russian military to establish a safe corridor for foreign journalists wishing to visit Pokrovsk and Kupyansk. Moscow then claimed to be encircling these two strongholds. In response, Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised reporters "not to trust Russia's proposals for corridors in a combat zone."

By Pham Giang (According to TASS, AFP)