Russian forces capture two villages in Donetsk amid continued advance

Russian troops have seized control of two more settlements in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday, as forces continue their westward offensive. 

 

Strategic Advances

The ministry reported that Russian forces now control the villages of Petropavlivka, located between the towns of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove, and Vremivka, further south. These gains are part of Moscow’s ongoing push to secure the Donbas region, which comprises Donetsk and Luhansk.

The Russian military also claimed to have carried out precision strikes on Ukrainian military facilities. These were described as retaliatory measures following a Ukrainian missile attack using ATACMS on Russia’s Belgorod region.

Ukraine’s military leadership, in its latest update, did not confirm the loss of Petropavlivka and Vremivka but mentioned heavy fighting near the strategically significant town of Pokrovsk.

According to Deep State, an independent mapping platform tracking military positions in Ukraine, both villages appear to be under Russian control.

Since failing to capture Kyiv in the early weeks of its invasion in February 2022, Russia has concentrated its efforts on seizing full control of the Donbas region. Currently, Russian forces are estimated to occupy approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.