Russia claims it took control over 2 settlements in Ukraine’s Donetsk region

ISTANBUL

Russia claimed on Thursday that it took control of two more settlements amid its ongoing offensive in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.

A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its forces captured the village of Novoserhiivka, located about 18 kilometers (11 miles) southwest of the city of Pokrovsk, a key front in ongoing clashes between Moscow and Kyiv’s forces in the Donetsk region.

Moscow has repeatedly claimed territorial gains in recent months, particularly in Donetsk, where heavy fighting has intensified around Pokrovsk.

Pokrovsk serves as a critical logistics hub for Ukraine’s military operations in the region.

The Defense Ministry also claimed the capture of the village of Shevchenko, situated about 15 kilometers (9 miles) northwest of the strategic town of Velyka Novosilka, also in the Donetsk region.

Russia claimed to have seized Velyka Novosilka on Jan. 27, which lies about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) from the junction of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

Shevchenko lies just 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) from the junction point.

Ukraine’s General Staff claimed in a morning statement on Telegram that its forces repelled 51 Russian assaults near 11 settlements in the Pokrovsk front, including Novoserhiivka, and repelled 20 others near four settlements in the Novopavlivka front, including Shevchenko.

However, Ukrainian authorities have not immediately commented on Russia’s claims, and independent verification of the claims is difficult due to the ongoing conflict, now in its fourth year.