In a significant development, Ukraine has successfully halted Russia's offensive in the town of Pokrovsk and regained control of a part of New-York (also spelled Niu-York), according to the Institute for the Study of War.

The Institute for the Study of War, a policy research organization focused on military affairs, recently posted maps on X (formerly Twitter) showing the assessed control of terrain in the eastern region of Pokrovsk and around Toretsk as of September 5.

Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, confirmed in an interview with CNN that Russia did not advance in Pokrovsk on Thursday. Syrskyi stated, "Over the last six days, the enemy hasn't advanced a single meter in the Pokrovsk direction." He further mentioned that the city of Pokrovsk had been under intense pressure as the hotspot for military action in Ukraine for weeks.

The apparent halting of Russian advancements in Pokrovsk carries significant implications as it serves as a crucial road and rail hub for Ukraine, facilitating the transport of military materials to other outposts in the region.

Angelica Evans, a Russia researcher at the Institute for the Study of War, explained to Newsweek the importance of Ukraine's ability to slow and halt Russian advances. She stated, "Ukraine's defensive operations in Pokrovsk and the wider Donetsk region directly undermine the Kremlin's efforts to convince the international community that Russian victory is inevitable." Evans also highlighted that Ukraine's defensive operations complicate Russia's objective to seize the remainder of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

Furthermore, Evans mentioned that Russia has been hesitant to redeploy forces in Kursk Oblast, allowing Ukrainians to maintain their defensive position there. The Institute for the Study of War has observed indications that limited elements of reserve personnel intended to support operations near Pokrovsk have been redeployed to Kursk Oblast to defend against the Ukrainian incursion.

Although Russian troops did not advance in Pokrovsk, maps indicate that they made territorial gains in other areas. Russian sources claim that they advanced in the south of Novohrodivka and west of Mykolaivka on September 4. There are also reports of advancements in Krasnohorivka on September 1 and Halytsynivka on September 3. Ukrainian forces, on the other hand, reported control over approximately 500 square miles of territory in Kursk as of September 2.

Commander Syrskyi expressed satisfaction with the successful Kursk operation, stating that it has reduced the threat of an enemy offensive and shifted the fighting onto Russian territory.

This recent development in halting Russian advancements and regaining control in Pokrovsk and New-York showcases Ukraine's ability to defend against Russian offensives, providing hope that victory is not inevitable for Russia despite their resource advantages.

Newsweek has reached out to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and the Southern Military District of the Russian Defense Ministry for further comments on this latest development.