An ‘orcs’ T-80 tank.
Transformed into.
A pillar of flaming wreckage.
By an ‘elves’ drone.
Near Pokrovsk.
On or before Saturday.
Wasn’t just a tragedy.
For any ‘orcs’ in the tank.
And a spectacle.
For the ‘elves’ drone operators.
—it was also a symbol of.
A dangerous dilemma.
For the ‘orcs’.
As their wider war on Ukraine.
Grinds into its.
37th month.
A major ‘orcs’ offensive.
Is reaching its endgame.
A major ‘orcs’ offensive.
Is reaching its endgame.
And it’s possible only.
American intervention.
Against Ukraine may reverse.
The ‘orcs’ faltering fortunes.
For an entire year.
Since capturing the ruins.
Of Avdiivka.
In eastern Ukraine.
The ‘orcs’ Center Operational Grouping.
—one of as many as six.
Such groupings along the front line.
Of ‘orcs’ wider war on Ukraine—
Has been crawling.
Toward the fortress city.
Of Pokrovsk.
30 miles to the west.
The Center Operational Grouping’s forces.
—on paper.
At least 50,000 troops.
Many of them belonging to.
The 41st Combined Arms Army—
The Center Operational Grouping’s forces.
Have finally managed to.
Reach Pokrovsk’s outskirts.
But it cost them.
Potentially tens of thousands.
Of soldiers.
And no fewer than.
2,200 vehicles.
Including that T-80.
That burst into flames.
This weekend.
A major ‘orcs’ offensive.
Is reaching its endgame.
A major ‘orcs’ offensive.
Is reaching its endgame.
And it’s possible only.
American intervention.
Against Ukraine may reverse.
The ‘orcs’ faltering fortunes.
According to Gen.
The ‘elf’ commander in chief.
Around 15,000 ‘orcs’.
Were “neutralized”.
Around 15,000 ‘orcs’.
Were “neutralized”.
Around Pokrovsk.
In January alone.
‘Elves’ own losses.
‘Elves’ own losses.
In the area.
Have been much lighter.
Since its battered brigades.
Finally retreated.
From Avdiivka.
Last February.
An analyst has tallied.
2,300 destroyed.
Damaged and captured.
‘Orcs’ vehicles.
On the Pokrovsk axis.
But just 700 destroyed.
Damaged and captured.
‘Elves’ vehicles:
A more than.
Three-to-one ratio.
Favoring the ‘elves’.
Favoring the ‘elves’.
A major ‘orcs’ offensive.
Is reaching its endgame.
A major ‘orcs’ offensive.
Is reaching its endgame.
And it’s possible only.
American intervention.
Against Ukraine may reverse.
The ‘orcs’ faltering fortunes.
The staggering losses.
Explain why the ‘orcs’.
May advance near Pokrovsk.
Without actually capturing the city.
Which anchors a long chain.
Of fortified cities.
Stretching north.
Toward Kharkiv.
“The enemy’s Center Operational Grouping.
On the Pokrovsk direction.
Has made no advances.
On any of its fronts for three days.”
“And was forced to retreat.
From previously occupied positions.
In several areas.”
Was explained on Saturday.
“The 41st Combined Arms Army.
Is unable to continue.
Its offensive to.
The north and northwest.”
“Its offensive to.
The north and northwest.
To accomplish.
Its primary objective.”
“—to envelop Pokrovsk.
From the west and.
Cut off the road.
To Pavlohrad.”
A major ‘orcs’ offensive.
Is reaching its endgame.
A major ‘orcs’ offensive.
Is reaching its endgame.
And it’s possible only.
American intervention.
Against Ukraine may reverse.
The ‘orcs’ faltering fortunes.
Stymied, the ‘orcs’ are.
Pivoting to other objectives.
“The ‘orcs’ command.
In the theater of war.”
Is focusing its main attention.
Not on Pokrovsk.
But on the adjacent Novopavlivka.
And Toretsk directions,” was explained.
And the command is.
Willing to rob.
The 41st Combined Arms Army.
In the process.
Reportedly transferring.
Its most powerful formation.
—the 90th Tank Division—
From the Pokrovsk sector.
South toward Andriivka.
Where a pair of ‘orcs’ regiments.
Have achieved.
“Tactical successes.”
A major ‘orcs’ offensive.
Is reaching its endgame.
A major ‘orcs’ offensive.
Is reaching its endgame.
And it’s possible only.
American intervention.
Against Ukraine may reverse.
The ‘orcs’ faltering fortunes.
It’s obviously not great news.
For ‘orcs’ war effort.
That one of its main offensives.
Is losing momentum.
It’s better news.
For the ‘orcs’ that their commanders.
Are willing and able to adapt.
To changing conditions.
Adaptation is the key.
For both sides.
As the war grinds on and.
The politics surrounding it shift.
*Because I read “Blasting Tanks Into Flaming Wreckage, Ukrainian Drones Blunt A Yearlong Russian Offensive” by David Axe on 22 Feb 2025 on the Forbes, 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 an analysis of Naalsio, and reports of the Ukrainian Center for Defense Strategies.
Please read the original story on the Forbes:
Turning Tanks Into Flames, Ukrainian Drones Blunt A Russian Offensive
