Russian forces claimed Saturday to have captured another village in eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian officials reported five civilian deaths from Russian shelling in the south and east.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced the “liberation” of Zhelanne Druge in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, using the Russian name Zhelannoye Vtoroye. The village is situated near Pokrovsk, a key Ukrainian army logistics hub now threatened by Russian advances.
“This capture represents a strategic gain for our forces,” said a Russian military official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to not being authorized to comment publicly.
Ukrainian prosecutors in Donetsk reported two civilian deaths: a 65-year-old woman in Toretsk and an 86-year-old man in Velyka Novosilka. In Zaporizhzhia region, Governor Ivan Fyodorov said Russian shelling killed two men, aged 44 and 46, in Mala Tokmachka village.
Kharkiv region prosecutors reported a 49-year-old man died when his car was struck by a Russian drone.
Russian-installed authorities in Gorlivka and Zaporizhzhia region claimed Ukrainian shelling and drone strikes wounded several civilians, though these reports couldn’t be independently verified.
The conflict, which began with Russia’s February 2022 invasion, has seen Moscow occupy about 18% of Ukraine. After setbacks in 2022, Russian forces largely held ground in 2023 and have been advancing in 2024 against often outgunned Ukrainian defenders.
“The situation remains tense along the entire front,” said Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov. “Our forces are facing significant challenges in terms of manpower and equipment shortages.”
