Russia Claims Capture of Two Villages in Ukraine As Fighting Intensifies

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed on Saturday that its forces have captured two villages in eastern Ukraine: Zelenyi Hai in Donetsk region and Maliivka in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Reuters reported. According to the report, Moscow described Zelenyi Hai as “a major stronghold of Ukrainian formations” covering access to Dnipropetrovsk’s border.

While Ukraine did not confirm losing these villages, the country reported intense fighting. The Ukrainian military’s General Staff confirmed attack on Zelenyi Hai “11 times in the past 24 hours”, and added that Russian forces’ attempts in Maliivka were halted.

Focus on Pokrovsk and Northern Regions

Highlighting intense battles near the logistics hub of Pokrovsk along the 1,000-km frontline, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called it a “focal point” of Russian attacks. He also noted “successful actions” by Ukrainian forces in Sumy, near Ukraine’s northern border, where Russia had established a foothold recently.

Military spokesperson Viktor Trehubov described the attacks on Pokrovsk as “a small torrent that simply does not stop,” as reported by Reuters.

Diplomatic Talks Yield No Ceasefire

These clashes come just days after Russia and Ukraine held their third direct meeting in Turkey, aimed at peace efforts. While prisoner swaps and remains exchanges showed progress, no ceasefire or leader-level talks were agreed upon.

Conflicting Claims and Ongoing Conflict

Russia has, in recent months, continued to report steady territorial gains, especially westward. However, Ukraine has disputed many of these claims, particularly about territory in Dnipropetrovsk, a region Russia does not officially claim as its own.

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