Putin’s next big gamble? 100,000 Russian troops to storm Pokrovsk in the battle for Donbas control

Ukraine could be on the verge of its biggest setback in months if the key eastern city of Pokrovsk falls to advancing Russian forces. The fierce battle for this vital road and rail hub in the Donetsk region has raged for more than a year. A victory here would mark a major breakthrough for Vladimir Putin, bringing him one step closer to his long-standing goal of seizing control of Ukraine’s entire industrial heartland — the Donbas, which comprises the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.