Russian forces have made a new advance in eastern Ukraine, capturing the village of Memryk, east of the city of Pokrovsk, according to a statement from the Russian Defence Ministry on Monday. This development marks another step in Russia’s slow but persistent push through the Donetsk region in the 2-1/2-year-old war against Ukraine.
The Ukrainian military’s General Staff did not mention Memryk in its official accounts. However, Ukrainian war blogs reported that the village had fallen into Russian hands last week. The conflicting reports highlight the fluid and often unclear nature of the front lines in this protracted conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in his nightly address, maintained that Kyiv’s forces were holding their ground in the Donetsk region. “It is equally important to destroy as many occupying forces as possible. The Pokrovsk sector, the Kurakhove sector, it is here that the Russian army must lose as much combat capability as possible,” Zelenskiy stated, emphasizing the strategic importance of these areas.
The Russian Defence Ministry, in one of its daily reports, not only noted the capture of Memryk but also claimed to have inflicted losses on Ukrainian troops in at least two other nearby villages. Additionally, Moscow reported repelling eight Ukrainian attacks in the Donetsk region.
This latest Russian advance follows the announcement on Sunday of the capture of another village, Novohrodivka. A Ukrainian officer acknowledged that Kyiv’s forces had abandoned Novohrodivka several days prior to the Russian announcement.
The ongoing Russian offensive in this sector appears to be part of a broader strategy to advance towards the town of Pokrovsk, a significant logistical hub for Ukrainian forces in the region. The capture of these villages, while seemingly minor gains, could potentially set the stage for a more significant push towards Pokrovsk.
As the conflict continues, the ability to independently verify claims from either side remains challenging. The situation on the ground is complex, with both sides often providing conflicting accounts of territorial control and military successes.
