CNN —Russian forces are inching toward the strategically important city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, threatening a vital Ukrainian supply line as Moscow continues its slow, grinding offensive. Russia has been stretching Ukrainian defenses across the entire eastern front line for months, trying to capture as much territory as possible before new Ukrainian recruits and fresh batches of Western weapons start arriving on the battlefield. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the difficult situation in his nightly address to the nation on Sunday, saying Ukrainian troops were facing “extremely challenging” realities in that area. But it serves as a key hub for the Ukrainian military, thanks to its easy access to Kostiantynivka, another military center. The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces captured the Ukrainian villages of Lozuvatske over the weekend and Vovche on Monday.

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Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, ” Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, Anatolii Stepanov, Svitlana Vlasova, Eve Brennan Organizations: CNN, Russian Defense Ministry, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Residents, Getty Locations: Pokrovsk, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, United States, Avdiivka, Dnipro, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kostiantynivka, Lozuvatske, Kyiv, AFP