Pokrovsk became Russia's main target after Kharkiv push failed -Zelensky 

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After Russia's offensive in Kharkiv Oblast failed, Moscow shifted its focus to the east, "throwing everything they have" in the direction of Pokrovsk, President Volodymyr Zelensky told French media on July 30.

Ukraine's military has acknowledged the increasingly difficult situation in the Pokrovsk area, as battlefield monitoring sites indicate a steady westward advance of Russian troops.

"Today, [Russian forces] are concentrating the largest number of personnel, the largest number of weapons, and KAB bombs, everything they have, in the Pokrovsk direction," Zelensky said.

According to Zelensky, Russia redirected its efforts to the east after failing to capture Kharkiv, a major city in northeastern Ukraine.

Russia had launched the offensive in northern Kharkiv Oblast in May, but the push eventually lost momentum as Ukrainian forces halted Moscow's advance. This offensive tied down some of Kyiv's troops, stretching Ukraine's defenses thin, while Russia continued to seize new villages in Donetsk Oblast and pushed toward Chasiv Yar during the ongoing battles in Kharkiv Oblast.

Zelensky added that Russian forces also plan to advance in other eastern directions, such as Kostiantynivka, Toretsk, and Sloviansk, but at the moment, Pokrovsk remains their main focus. When asked whether Ukraine will be able to prevent further Russian advances, Zelensky emphasized the need for faster aid deliveries. He reminded that the Ukrainian military has formed 14 new brigades to relieve units at the front and to serve as reserves, but these brigades are not yet fully equipped.

"What do you think, in your opinion: if three out of the 14 [brigades] are fully equipped, can [the Russian advance] be stopped?" Zelensky asked.

Zelensky cited a second reason for Russia's relentless push: Russian troops' fear of retreating.

"They are killed if they run back," Zelensky said, attributing this to a fundamental difference between Russian and Ukrainian values.

As a third reason, Zelensky pointed to the restrictions on striking deep inside Russia with Western-supplied arms.

"Russian positions are standing 30, 60, 100 kilometers [from the border]; there are planes bombing us, multiple-launch rocket launchers firing at us, Grads, S-300s which they use from Belgorod," Zelensky said.

The U.S. and Germany have permitted Ukraine to use their weapons only to attack Russian forces within Ukraine and just across the border to disrupt offensive operations. Zelensky has repeatedly appealed to the U.S. and other allies to lift these restrictions.

Russian shelling killed two women in Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

On August 1, a 40-year-old woman and her 72-year-old mother were killed during a Russian artillery attack on Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Governor Serhii Lysak reported.

A 46-year-old man was also injured when dozens of Russian shells struck multiple high-rise buildings, houses, a fire department building, two schools, and buses.

Tragically, the 72-year-old woman was killed on her birthday, Lysak noted.

No further details are available at this time.

Nikopol, located just across the river from the Russian-occupied Enerhodar and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, is frequently targeted by Russian attacks.

Kremlin reacts to arrival of F-16s to Ukraine, threatens to strike them down

Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, stated that Russia would shoot down Western F-16 fighters delivered to Ukraine. He mentioned that their number would gradually decrease as they were struck down, but he added that these deliveries would not have any significant impact on the development of events at the front. Peskov further noted that these fighter jets would not become a "magic pill" for Ukraine.

Russian`s advances in Donetsk oblast continues as Russian forces occupy the village of Tymofiivka

DeepState analysts have updated their interactive online map of hostilities in Ukraine, indicating that Russian troops have occupied the village of Tymofiivka on the Pokrovsk front and advanced near several other settlements in Donetsk Oblast. The analysts reported that the enemy had taken control of Tymofiivka and advanced near Krasnohorivka, Panteleimonivka, Ivanivka, Zhelanne, Vesele, and New York.

In its evening report on July 31, Ukraine's General Staff noted that 43 combat engagements had occurred on the Pokrovsk front since the beginning of the day. These engagements took place near the settlements of Panteleimonivka, Vozdvyzhenka, Arkhanhelske, Novooleksandrivka, Ivanivka, Tymofiivka, Lysychne, Ivanivske, Zhelanne, Serhiivka, and Karlivka.