Putin isn't focused on Pokrovsk. ISW identifies the primary objective of Russian forces in the Donbas region.

Promotion of Russians towards the Dnipropetrovsk region and reaching its borders may now be a priority on the front. There is a chance that capturing Pokrovsk is not the top concern for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

This is reported by the Institute for the Study of War. During the "Direct Line" event, Putin noted that Russians are advancing not by "100, 200, 300 meters," but by square kilometers along the entire front line.

"Putin may have instructed the Russian military command to postpone the capture of Pokrovsk in favor of further advancement through open fields and small settlements, especially as Russian troops move closer to the administrative border of Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions," analysts say.

According to the maps from ISW and DeepState, Russian troops are already 10 km from the Dnipropetrovsk border. Meanwhile, the advance towards Pokrovsk continues. However, analysts believe that Putin may be pressuring the military command for troops to move towards the border instead of surrounding the city.

There is a strong reason for this, as Putin has long expressed his desire to occupy the entire Donetsk region. In his latest speech, he emphasized the advancement of Russian troops towards the border. The approach to the Dnipropetrovsk region will become another lever of influence on the West and on the war as a whole.

Earlier, "Telegraph" discussed why Putin wants to talk with the newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump only on his terms.