Ukraine’s military reported ongoing clashes in the eastern town of Kurakhove on Tuesday, disputing Russia’s claims of capturing the strategic location a day earlier.
Moscow described Kurakhove as an “important logistics hub” and claimed its seizure would expedite Russian advances across the Donetsk region. However, Ukraine’s Khortytsia army unit countered the claims, stating that “active” combat continued in the urban area of Kurakhove, with defense forces repelling attacks.
“In the Kurakhove sector, the defense forces are countering the enemy’s attempts to use their superiority in manpower and develop an offensive,” the Khortytsia unit said in a social media post. It also confirmed measures were underway to “localize and destroy enemy assault groups” that had infiltrated Ukrainian positions.
Kurakhove, with a pre-war population of approximately 18,000, is a critical location due to its power station, proximity to a reservoir, and significant lithium deposits. Ukrainian forces claimed to have repelled 26 attacks in the region, including those near the contested town.
Russian forces have been advancing in the Donetsk region for months, a territory Moscow declared annexed in 2022. Both sides are intensifying operations to secure territory ahead of major geopolitical shifts, including U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s return to office later this month.
In another development, Ukraine’s military reported killing 13 North Korean soldiers in fighting in Russia’s Kursk region. Ukrainian Special Operations Forces claimed five soldiers were killed in a gun battle and eight in drone strikes. Western, South Korean, and Ukrainian intelligence allege that Pyongyang has sent over 10,000 troops to assist Russian forces.
Russia’s military reported that Ukraine launched a renewed counterattack in the Kursk region over the weekend, months after Kyiv’s forces captured dozens of border settlements during a surprise cross-border offensive.
