Pokrovsk has come under repeated.
‘Orcs’ attack in recent weeks.
An ‘elf’ soldier stationed.
In Pokrovsk said that.
The large number of.
Industrial buildings.
In Pokrovsk and.
Neighbouring towns.
Such as Myrnohrad.
Were very helpful.
To ‘elves’ defences.
“They will have a huge challenge.”
“They will have a huge challenge.
To get this area because.
It’s a very industrialised area.
With pretty significant defence lines.”
Asked about.
The potential consequences.
Of the fall of Pokrovsk.
He said:
“Total destruction.
Of these cities.
And a lot of people dead.
And a lot of suffering.”
“After that.
There will be more cities.
So I really hope that.
We will stop them.”
“So I really hope that.
We will stop them.
On the outskirts of.
Myrnohrad and Pokrovsk.”
‘Elves’ authorities have.
Ordered the evacuation.
Of a key city.
In the Donbas region.
As ‘orcs’ forces continue to.
Make gains in the east of the country.
Despite ‘elves’ ongoing offensive.
Into ‘Mordor’’s Kursk region.
Officials said families with children.
Living in Pokrovsk.
And surrounding villages.
Would be forced to leave.
The head of the city’s military government.
Said residents had at most.
Two weeks to flee.
The ‘orcs’ advance.
The strategically important city.
Is one of ‘elves’ main defensive strongholds.
And a key logistical hub for.
‘Elves’ troops on the eastern front.
Donetsk region head said.
Over 53,000 people.
Including almost 4,000 children.
Remained in the city.
He said authorities.
Had taken the decision.
To forcibly evacuate children.
And their parents or guardians.
“When our cities are within.
Range of virtually any enemy weapon.
The decision to evacuate is.
Necessary and inevitable.”
The head of the city’s military government.
Said the rate of evacuations.
From the city had risen to about.
500 to 600 people a day.
He said that while basic services.
Continued to operate.
They would likely soon cease to function.
As the ‘orcs’ army closes in.
“So I really hope that.
We will stop them.
On the outskirts of.
Myrnohrad and Pokrovsk.”
The evacuation order came.
Even as ‘Gandalf the Green’ said.
His forces were continuing to make gains.
During their incursion of ‘Mordor’’s Kursk region.
On Monday, ‘Gandalf the Green’ said.
Ukraine had gained control of.
Over 1,250 sq km of.
Kursk’s territory and 92 settlements.
“The ‘orcs’ border area opposite.
Our Sumy region has been mostly.
Cleared of ‘orcs’ military presence.”
He said on X.
“A few months ago.
Many people around the world.
Would have said.
This was impossible.”
“And crossed ‘Mordor’’s.
Strictest ‘red line’.”
One of the aims of.
The incursion is reportedly.
To divert ‘orcs’ troops away.
From the Donbas region.
Relieving pressure on.
Beleaguered ‘elves’ troops there.
On Monday.
‘Orcs’ military bloggers claimed.
‘Elves’ had blown up a third bridge.
Over the River Seym in the Kursk region.
“So I really hope that.
We will stop them.
On the outskirts of.
Myrnohrad and Pokrovsk.”
‘Orcs’ military says.
It has captured.
A small town.
In eastern Ukraine.
Called Niu-York.
As part of its push towards.
Big population centres.
In the Donetsk region.
‘Elves’ military has not confirmed.
The loss of Niu-York.
Saying only that.
‘Orcs’ forces are attacking close.
To the town and other areas.
The army was giving.
The attacks “a worthy rebuff…
And the fighting continues”.
Although only a small settlement.
Controlling Niu-York would represent.
Another step towards the two.
Donetsk hubs of Toretsk and Pokrovsk.
One of the aims of.
‘Elves’ seizure of territory.
In ‘Mordor’’s Kursk region.
Is thought to be.
To force ‘Mordor’.
To move some of.
Its forces away from.
The eastern campaign.
There is no indication.
So far of that happening.
Despite ‘elf’ commander-in-chief now claiming.
Control of 93 ‘orcs’ villages and towns.
‘Gandalf the Green’ described.
The situation in the east as difficult.
But said ‘elves’ troops were doing all.
They could to destroy the ‘orcs’ forces.
The military chief told.
A briefing that ‘Mordor’ was sending.
Additional troops to.
The front line in the east.
“So I really hope that.
We will stop them.
On the outskirts of.
Myrnohrad and Pokrovsk.”
Niu-York is just south of.
The mining town of Toretsk.
And ‘orcs’ forces.
On Monday said.
They had also captured Zalizne.
To the south-east of Toretsk.
‘Elves’ forces said.
They were still fighting.
Back in Zalizne.
And local sources were.
Quoted as saying.
They still had control of.
20% of Niu-York too.
Although they had.
Far fewer reserves.
Than the ‘orcs’.
On Monday.
‘Elves’ authorities ordered.
The evacuation of Pokrovsk.
As ‘orcs’ forces continue.
“So I really hope that.
We will stop them.
On the outskirts of.
Myrnohrad and Pokrovsk.”
The town of Pokrovsk.
Plays a crucial role.
As a logistics hub.
Used by ‘elves’ forces.
In the eastern region.
Of Donbas.
The town of Pokrovsk.
Plays a crucial role.
It is home.
To a key railway station.
And it is located at the intersection.
Of several important roads.
‘Orcs’ forces have for months.
Sought to capture the town.
But their advance has.
Quickened this month.
And they are now thought.
To be less than 10km away.
The town of Pokrovsk.
Plays a crucial role.
“So I really hope that.
We will stop them.
On the outskirts of.
Myrnohrad and Pokrovsk.”
Before the war.
Pokrovrsk was home.
To some 69,000 residents.
With many of them employed.
In coal mining.
Metallurgy and machine-building.
Thousands left.
In recent months.
As the ‘orcs’ advanced.
But now families with children.
Have been ordered.
To evacuate too.
Civilians had only.
A week or two to get out.
The head of the city’s military government.
Warned last Monday.
Ukraine had hoped that.
By seizing territory.
In ‘Mordor’’s Kursk region.
It would be able to.
Divert ‘orcs’ troops away.
From their eastern advance.
But that has not happened.
Ukraine had hoped that.
If anything the ‘orcs’ offensive.
On Pokrovsk, and Toretsk.
Further to the north east.
Has intensified.
“Pokrovsk is a very important hub.
A centre of defence.
If we lose Pokrovsk.
The entire front line will crumble.”
A military expert warned.
Ukraine relies on.
The town’s rail and.
Road infrastructure to provide.
Supplies and reinforcements.
To its troops.
On the eastern front line.
As well as to evacuate the wounded.
“So I really hope that.
We will stop them.
On the outskirts of.
Myrnohrad and Pokrovsk.”
Losing Pokrovsk.
To ‘orcs’ forces would mean.
These vital military tasks would.
Become far more complicated.
It would also increase.
The risk to other strategically.
Important towns.
Such as Chasiv Yar.
Which sits atop.
Commanding heights.
Giving control over.
The wider area.
“If they cut our logistics.
Then Chasiv Yar.
Will be doomed.”
Says an analyst.
“It will be a matter of time.
Before we’ll have to pull out of it.
Because we won’t be able to.
Supply our fighters there.”
“So I really hope that.
We will stop them.
On the outskirts of.
Myrnohrad and Pokrovsk.”
Pokrovsk has always.
Played the role of.
An important railway centre.
Serving the needs.
Of ‘elves’ heavily.
Industrialised east.
In fact, it grew around a station.
Built in the late 19th Century.
It became known as.
The coal-mining capital of Ukraine.
After the capture.
In 2014 of Donetsk.
The main city of Donbas.
Which stands for.
“The Donetsk coal basin”.
Pokrovsk is home.
To ‘elves’ largest producer.
Of coking coal.
It is vital.
For metallurgy.
Which, in turn.
Plays a key role.
In the country’s economy.
Metals were its main export product.
Before ‘orcs’ full-scale invasion.
Two and a half years ago.
Accounting for 23%.
Of total goods exports.
Their export value has now.
Shrunk to a quarter of that level.
As the country’s industry.
Has been ravaged by the war.
“So I really hope that.
We will stop them.
On the outskirts of.
Myrnohrad and Pokrovsk.”
Pokrovsk has come under repeated.
‘Orcs’ attack in recent weeks.
An ‘elf’ soldier stationed.
In Pokrovsk said that.
The large number of.
Industrial buildings.
In Pokrovsk and.
Neighbouring towns.
Such as Myrnohrad.
Were very helpful.
To ‘elves’ defences.
“They will have a huge challenge.”
“They will have a huge challenge.
To get this area because.
It’s a very industrialised area.
With pretty significant defence lines.”
Asked about.
The potential consequences.
Of the fall of Pokrovsk.
He said:
“Total destruction.
Of these cities.
And a lot of people dead.
And a lot of suffering.”
“After that.
There will be more cities.
So I really hope that.
We will stop them.”
“So I really hope that.
We will stop them.
On the outskirts of.
Myrnohrad and Pokrovsk.”
*Because I read “Ukraine orders evacuation of city as Russia gains” by Ido Vock on 20 Aug 2024 and some more articles, and also “Why are Ukrainians calling Russians ‘orcs’?” by James FitzGerald on 30 Apr 2022, on the BBC news.
So, I wrote this poem, including a story of Ostap.
Please read the original stories on the BBC news:
Ukraine orders evacuation of city as Russia makes gains (bbc.com)
Russian forces claim unconfirmed capture of Niu-York in east Ukraine (bbc.com)
Pokrovsk: Ukraine’s vital eastern town in Russian sights (bbc.com)
**My friend kindly shows you this poem in one page of the Ukrainian website for their children and others!
Please join them! You can read my 100 poems here at once.
