All Those Tanks Russia Is Massing for an Attack on Pokrovsk? They'll Have to Travel a 'Road of Death.'

Ukraine will aim to destroy the vehicles from the air—before they reach Pokrovsk.

The staff of the Ukrainian 155th Mechanized Brigade, garrisoning Pokrovsk. 155th Mechanized Brigade photo

A powerful Russian tank army is massing in Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine in preparation for a “last, final battle” for Pokrovsk, a fortress city anchoring Ukrainian defenses 30 miles northwest of Donetsk City.

But the Ukrainians aren’t just waiting for the nine Russian regiments and brigades to attack. Yesterday, they bombarded the assembled troops and tanks and their commanders with drones and cruise missiles.

And last night, Ukrainian High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems wheeled launchers joined the bombardment. Russian air-defenses may have struck some of the incoming 660-pound rockets, but others struck an undisclosed targets in the Budonivskyi District of Donetsk City.

The pre-battle strikes may be a preview of the coming clash. The Russians have saved up potentially hundreds of tanks and other armored vehicles for their impending assault on Pokrovsk, but all that vehicular hording may be for naught if the Ukrainians can interdict the armored columns before they make contact with Ukrainian positions.

At least one observer expects the tank offensive to end abruptly and ignominiously. “All the armored Russian vehicles apparently concentrating near Pokrovsk will be destroyed by Ukrainian [first-person-view drones] and drone-dropped anti-tank landmines, if the Russians are actually foolish enough to assault,” mused a Canadian drone expert who goes by “Roy.”