Amidst Eastern Ukraine's Fierce Grip, a Nuclear Shadow Lengthens From Moscow

The drumbeat of war, a relentless thrum, grows ever louder in Ukraine's eastern reaches, particularly around a pivotal town named Pokrovsk. It’s a place, you could say, that has suddenly found itself at the very epicenter of Russia's grinding push to claim the entire Donbas region. And honestly, for anyone watching, the intensity of this battle, the sheer unwavering ferocity, feels like a grim crescendo in a conflict that, in truth, has known little respite.

Ukrainian officials, usually measured, have recently painted a stark picture: the fighting near Pokrovsk and, for that matter, around Toretsk, is nothing short of