Russia launches rapid counterattack on Ukraine

Russia has reportedly launched a “swift” counter-offensive in the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, amid the ongoing war between the two countries.

Ukrainian military authorities posted on Telegram on Friday saying Russian forces were “advancing rapidly” on Pokrovsk, where Ukraine has launched its offensive in Russia’s Kursk region.

“With each passing day, the time available to collect personal belongings and leave for safer areas is getting less and less,” Ukrainian military authorities said, according to the Associated Press, urging civilians in the city to evacuate as soon as possible.

Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X, “At today’s General Staff meeting, I received a report from Commander-in-Chief Syrsky. Our main defense directions on the front line: Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and others. These areas are currently facing the most intense Russian attacks and are receiving the utmost attention from our defense. Priority supplies – everything that is needed – are being sent there.”

“In a separate context, the Commander-in-Chief reported on the operation in the Kursk region. New progress has been made. Our “exchange fund” has been replenished. In addition, General Syrsky reported on the successful liberation of the city of Sudzha from Russian troops. The office of the Ukrainian military commander is being created there. Several other settlements have also been liberated. In total, more than eighty,” Zelensky said in his post.

Earlier this month, Ukraine launched its own offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, as the war between the two countries continued. Thousands of Russians were evacuated from Kursk and surrounding areas, as armed clashes escalated in southwestern Russia following an unexpected cross-border raid by Ukraine.

Zelensky said Tuesday that Kyiv’s forces now control more than 70 settlements on Russian territory, and that “hundreds of Russian servicemen” have been captured, adding to the country’s “prisoner of war exchange fund.”

But the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday that its forces “continue to repel” the Ukrainian advance, and that Kyiv has lost about 2,600 soldiers since the start of hostilities in Kursk.

General Christopher Cavoli, who serves as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, recently spoke about the Ukrainian offensive in Kursk and criticized Russia’s response.

“Russia is still putting together its response to the invasion of Ukraine,” he said at an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations. “So far, the response has been slow and somewhat dispersed.”

“Russia does not determine who has authority… The Ministry of Defense is responsible for military operations inside Ukraine, but not inside Russia, right?” Cavoli added.

Newsweek We reached out to the Russian Foreign Ministry via email for comment.