Russia-Ukraine war: Zelenskyy says 1.7 lakh Russian troops in Donetsk as fight for Pokrovsk intensifies; calls situation ‘difficult’

Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy reported approximately 170,000 Russian troops are in Donetsk, intensifying efforts to capture Pokrovsk, though he denied the city is fully surrounded. Meanwhile, Ukraine continues long-range strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, with officials warning of rising civilian casualties and a decline in humanitarian funding.