By Russian forces captured a village in eastern Ukraine Thursday and intensified aerial attacks across the country, marking a significant advance toward the strategic town of Kurakhove amid escalating military operations.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced the capture of Voznesenka in the Donetsk region, pushing closer to Kurakhove, a pre-war town of 20,000 residents. The territorial gain comes alongside widespread aerial assaults targeting Ukrainian infrastructure.
Russia claimed to have damaged Ukrainian airfields and energy facilities while shooting down 78 drones, according to state news agency RIA. Ukrainian military officials countered that they intercepted 21 of 59 Russian drones in overnight attacks.
The offensive follows Wednesday’s massive aerial bombardment of Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities, involving a combination of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drone strikes. Ukraine’s air force reported successfully downing four missiles and 37 drones launched across eight regions.
“It is important that our forces have the means to defend the country from Russian terror,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said following the attacks. In his evening address, he praised Ukraine’s “air defense warriors” for their continuous efforts against Russian “Shahed” drones and missiles, including the interception of ballistic missiles.
The intensifying aerial campaign has reinforced Ukraine’s urgent appeals to Western allies for additional air defense systems. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to international partners while emphasizing Ukraine’s strategic goal of domestic air defense production.
“The strategic goal is to reach a practical level of cooperation with our partners that will enable us to produce the air defense systems and anti-missiles we need here in Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said, adding that such capability would help “finally push Russia towards making a fair peace.”
The latest Russian advances and aerial attacks underscore the evolving nature of the conflict as both sides adapt their strategies. While Russian forces make incremental territorial gains in the east, Ukraine continues to bolster its air defense capabilities against increasingly sophisticated aerial assaults.
The capture of Voznesenka represents a tactical victory in Russia’s broader campaign to secure the Donetsk region, while the sustained aerial bombardment appears aimed at degrading Ukrainian infrastructure and military capabilities. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s successful interception of numerous aerial threats demonstrates the growing effectiveness of its air defense systems, even as it seeks additional support from Western allies.
VOA
