Why is Ukraine holding on to Red Army City? Because this is Stalingrad. If Ukraine loses Red Army City, there's no point in fighting the rest of the war.
Red Army City is actually an industrial point in the Donetsk region, just five kilometers from the city of Donetsk, located at the intersection of railways and highways. Simply put, this is the only route to Pokrovsk, which is a major logistics center on the entire eastern front of Ukraine. Railways extend from here to cities like Slavyansk and Kramatorsk. If Red Army City falls, Russian forces can cut off Ukraine's supply lines, causing the entire defensive system to collapse immediately.
Pokrovsk itself is an old industrial city with over 60,000 residents before the war, now a frontline hub. Russia started pushing towards here from late 2024, advancing step by step, first taking surrounding high ground, then gradually encroaching on the edges. As an entrance, holding Red Army City can block enemy tanks and infantry groups. If Russia gets in, the roads and railways in Pokrovsk will be exposed to artillery fire, significantly reducing the mobility of Ukrainian forces. A report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies mentioned that Russia's goal is to dismantle the entire arc-shaped defense line in eastern Ukraine in this way, preventing Ukraine from bringing in reinforcements from the north or south. Losing Red Army City is not just about losing territory; the entire regional forces would have to retreat, forcing supply convoys to take longer routes, resulting in extremely low efficiency.
The Ukrainian army has been enduring the eastern front for more than three years, constantly facing drones and glide bombs, under immense pressure. Red Army City has become a symbolic stronghold, and holding it means telling everyone that we can still withstand the pressure. On the Russian side, they also see this as a breakthrough. Putin openly stated that the entire Donetsk region must belong to them. The Kremlin's propaganda machine spins, claiming that capturing this area will end the war, but the reality is that their advances have come at a huge cost. According to a British Ministry of Defense intelligence assessment, Russian casualties in the Pokrovsk direction have already exceeded one-tenth of the total, and the loss of tanks and heavy equipment is worse than during World War II. This battle is deadlocked, and whoever backs down first will lose half the battle.
This area was first compared to the shadow of Stalingrad starting from the spring of 2024 during the Avdiivka campaign. At that time, Russia surrounded Avdiivka for several months, and the Ukrainian defenders did not give an inch, fighting brutal street battles. Media comparisons said this was similar to the Stalingrad of 1942, where Soviet troops held out against the German 6th Army in ruins, eventually turning the tide. Red Army City is now much the same, with Russia dropping heavy bombs and Ukraine countering with anti-tank missiles, both sides flooding buildings with people. Reuters reported that Russia began tightening the siege around the beginning of January, with artillery firing from several kilometers away, while Ukrainian reconnaissance drones flew daily, locking onto targets and retaliating.
In the Stalingrad battle, the Germans advanced to the banks of the Volga River, and the Soviet defenders had only 80 days of ammunition left, yet they held out for two months, eventually counterattacking and annihilating Hitler's elite forces. In Red Army City, Ukraine's logic is similar: holding on can wear down the opponent. An article in the New York Times mentioned that when Zelenskyy visited the front line, he emphasized that Pokrovsk is the last bend of the defense line. If it is lost, Russia could squeeze from the east, west, and south, threatening the remaining territory of Donbas. Russia's tactics have not changed, still relying on human waves and firepower. In October 2025, they dropped over a thousand FAB-1500 bombs, trying to flatten roadblocks, but the 152nd Ranger Brigade used howitzers to counter, forcing the enemy to repeatedly adjust their strategies.
The highway in Pokrovsk is the E50 mainline, connecting the central and eastern parts of Ukraine, now requiring convoys to take detours, doubling fuel consumption. The railway is even more critical, as coal and military supplies rely on it. If Russia controls this, the industrial areas of Slavyansk will become islands, and the forces in Kramatorsk will run out of ammunition within a week. According to an assessment by the think tank ISW, Russia's long-term goal is to stabilize the front line and push it into the range of artillery, thereby blocking Ukraine's supply network. After General Syrskyi took over in 2024, he focused on the eastern front, watching drone videos every day and adjusting forces to plug gaps. However, manpower is limited, and although NATO has provided many weapons, they arrive at the front too slowly.
Russia's advance speed was acceptable in the first half of 2025, with them squeezing from several directions in July and capturing some high ground in August. But by autumn, Ukrainian counterattacks disrupted the rhythm. According to CNN, Russia intensified its air raids, but at a high cost, with soldier casualty rates rising to over a thousand per day. Putin reiterated in October that he would only stop the war if the entire Donetsk region was under his control, effectively setting a bottom line for negotiations. On the Ukrainian side, Zelenskyy's team knows that holding Red Army City can buy time, waiting for F-16 fighter jets and ATACMS missiles to arrive. Reuters said that in late October, Ukraine air-dropped special forces into the city to block Russia's encirclement, and the battle spread to the city's outskirts.
From an international perspective, this war has far-reaching consequences. After the U.S. election, Trump came to power, promising to end the conflict, but Russia's advance made negotiations difficult. European countries continued to supply weapons, sending Leopard 2 tanks from Germany and Storm Shadow missiles from Britain to the eastern front. Russia's allies Iran and North Korea supplied ammunition and drones, extending their endurance. Overall, the back-and-forth in Red Army City has made both sides unsustainable, with Russia's economy relying on oil and Ukraine surviving on aid.
The current situation remains deadlocked. The Ukrainian military said that the third line stopped the Russian advance from the north, and the 3rd Assault Brigade cleared some strongholds. However, Russia claimed to have entered the city of Pokrovsk, with street fighting breaking out. The Independent mentioned that a missile attack killed several elite soldiers, prompting Zelenskyy to order an investigation. This incident reminds everyone that casualties are not only on the front lines, but also in the rear. According to an analysis by the OSW think tank, Russia's tactics have improved, using drone swarms to suppress, but Ukraine's electronic warfare interference has been effective. In short, the Red Army City is a crucial test for Ukraine; if it fails, the entire eastern front will be on the defensive, and the negotiation table will be weaker by three points.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848101148562444/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.