Russia taking Pokrovsk won’t change war’s outcome — Hodges

Retired US general, former US Army Commander in Europe Ben Hodges says Russia’s prolonged attempts to capture Pokrovsk have already resulted in staggering losses — and even a potential occupation of the city would not provide Moscow with a strategic breakthrough.

He shared his assessment in a new interview with with Ukraine Breaking News.

Hodges says Russia can’t turn a Pokrovsk capture into real gains

Speaking in a new interview, Hodges emphasized that despite nearly 20 months of continuous assaults, Russian forces have failed to seize the city.

"Russia has been trying to take Pokrovsk for almost 20 months and they still have not succeeded," he said. "The Ukrainian armed forces have done an incredible job under very, very difficult circumstances."

According to Hodges, even if Russian troops eventually secure full control, their ability to exploit the advance is extremely limited.

"I don’t think they have the ability to exploit it with forces that could continue moving beyond that. I don’t think those exist," he noted, adding that Ukraine’s General Staff "understands the situation" and will adapt as needed.

Political impact would be symbolic, not strategic

Hodges expects that the Kremlin would try to turn the capture of Pokrovsk into a political message for domestic audiences.

"Of course, the Kremlin will want to use this as a symbolic gesture — ‘look what we've done,’" he said. "They will frame it as liberating another Ukrainian city."

However, he stresses that such messaging would not reflect the real balance of the war.

"This is not going to change the outcome of the war. Ukraine has proven that Russia cannot defeat Ukraine."

What actually matters now

Hodges argues that the real strategic developments lie elsewhere — particularly in Ukraine’s intensified strikes on Russia’s energy sector.

"What’s more important is what Ukraine is doing to Russia’s oil and gas infrastructure. This is at the next level of importance, and this is where the focus should be."

He concluded that while Pokrovsk remains fiercely contested, its fate — win or lose — will not determine the ultimate trajectory of the conflict.

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