By The Russian defense ministry announced on Saturday that its forces have taken control of the settlement of Lozuvatske in the Pokrovsk sector of Ukraine’s Donetsk region. This area has been the site of some of the most intense frontline battles in the 29-month-long war.
The defense ministry stated that its “center” grouping of forces had captured Lozuvatske, which is located northwest of the Russian-held regional center of Donetsk. In addition to this claim, the ministry reported launching strikes on other localities in the sector and repelling three Ukrainian counter-attacks.
This latest development aligns with the pattern of slow but steady Russian advances through the Donetsk region in Ukraine’s east since the capture of the key town of Avdiivka in February. These incremental gains have been a consistent feature of the conflict in recent months.
Ukraine’s General Staff, however, has not explicitly mentioned the loss of Lozuvatske in its reports. Their latest update acknowledged that the area around the settlement is gripped by heavy fighting. The Ukrainian military reported repelling 17 attacks in the Pokrovsk sector, with 10 clashes still ongoing. “The situation is difficult, but under the control of the armed forces,” the report stated.
The intensity of the fighting in the Pokrovsk sector has been a focus of Ukrainian officials for weeks. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has discussed the situation in this sector twice on Thursday with his top commander, Olexandr Syrskyi, underlining the strategic importance of the area.
While official Ukrainian sources have not confirmed the loss of any settlements, unofficial military bloggers have reported the fall of at least two other localities in the sector. The popular unofficial Ukrainian military blog DeepState has reported in the past two days the loss of two villages in the sector — Prohres and Vovche — although it made no reference to Lozuvatske in its latest update.
The conflict continues to rage along the 1,000-km (600-mile) front line, with both sides claiming successes and refuting the other’s claims. The situation remains fluid, with control of settlements often changing hands rapidly in the heat of battle.
As the war approaches its third year, the international community continues to watch closely, with concerns about the humanitarian impact of the conflict and its potential to escalate further. The capture of Lozuvatske, if confirmed, could represent a small but significant shift in the balance of power in the Donetsk region.
The coming days and weeks will likely see continued intense fighting in the Pokrovsk sector and across the eastern front, as both Russian and Ukrainian forces seek to gain or maintain control of strategic positions. As always, the fog of war makes it challenging to verify claims independently, and the situation on the ground can change rapidly.
Reuters Report
