Ukrainian officials urge civilians to evacuate eastern town of Pokrovsk as Russian troops close in

Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Military authorities in the eastern Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk have urged civilians to speed up their evacuation because the Russian army is quickly closing in on what has for months been one of Moscow’s key targets. Authorities said in a Telegram post Friday that Russian troops are “advancing at a fast pace.” Kyiv’s forces are trying to divert the Kremlin’s military focus to Russian soil by launching a bold incursion across the border into the Kursk region. That attack is a daring attempt to change the dynamics of the conflict, but it could leave Ukraine’s shorthanded defense at the mercy of Russia’s push.