Georges Barros, an analyst at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), points out that Russian soldiers have begun to use a new scheme for capturing cities. According to him, this can be seen in the example of Pokrovsk, which the Russians are still trying to occupy.
Points of attention
- Official Moscow's exaggeration of the importance of capturing Pokrovsk indicates a strategic attempt to portray Russia's advance as inevitable, influencing US negotiating teams.
- Recent events in the Pokrovsk area in October 2025 saw Russian troops capturing a small area but suffering a significant loss of soldiers, highlighting the intensity of the conflict.
What is known about the new tactics of the Russian army?
According to the analyst, it is the Russian campaign to capture Pokrovsk that indicates that Russian troops are learning and adapting.
If this cannot be stopped, then it will soon be a matter of really serious problems for Ukraine — in the near and medium term,” warns Georges Barros.
He also explains that official Moscow is actually exaggerating the importance of the capture of Pokrovsk.
The main goal of Putin's team is to present Russia's advance on the battlefield as inevitable.
This sense of inevitability is shared by some members of US President Donald Trump's negotiating team, the analyst noted.
Recently, the Russian invaders have abandoned mechanized assaults and have relied on infiltration by small assault groups.
This tactic allows the Russian army to continue its offensive literally on foot, albeit with heavy losses.
Thus, in October 2025, in the Pokrovsk area, Russian troops captured only about 30 square kilometers, but lost up to 25 thousand soldiers.
