Russia claims two east Ukrainian villages
Published: 05:06 PM,Jun 30,2024 | EDITED : 09:06 PM,Jun 30,2024
Firefighters work at a site of a Russian missile strike, in the town of Vilniansk, Zaporizhzhia region. — Reuters
MOSCOW: Russia on Sunday claimed two more east Ukrainian villages as its forces have had the upper hand over Kyiv on the battlefield for months.
Moscow has claimed new villages in the east of Ukraine regularly for weeks, as outgunned and outmanned Ukrainian forces struggle to hold them back.
Russia's defence ministry said its forces had 'liberated the settlement' of Novooleksandrivka as the Russian army pushes further westwards into the Donetsk region.
The village -- which lies north-west of occupied Ocheretyne -- is now the most western point of the region that Moscow holds.
Moscow also said its forces captured the small village of Spirne, further north in the Donetsk region near the border with the neighbouring Lugansk region.
Moscow's Ukraine offensive has dragged on for nearly two and a half years.
Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region declared a day of mourning Sunday, a day after a Russian strike on the town of Vilniansk killed seven people and wounded three dozen.
Russia struck Vilniansk, close to the regional hub of Zaporizhzhia, on Saturday.
'June 30 is a day of mourning in Zaporizhzhia region for those killed in the enemy attack on Vilniansk,' local governor Ivan Fedorov said on social media.
The interior ministry said the number of wounded rose to 36.
It said the victims were three children, one woman and three men.
Footage released by emergency services showed workers clearing debris, with an almost completely destroyed low-rise building and officials saying the strike had hit shops.
Ukraine said eight people had been killed in 24 hours in villages in the embattled east.
The Ukrainian army said Saturday Russia continued to attack towards the city of Toretsk, where it launched an offensive in recent weeks, and that a battle is underway in the nearby frontline village of New York.
Meanwhile, Russian forces destroyed three dozen Ukrainian drones in areas near the border, Moscow's Ministry of Defence said Sunday.
'Air defence systems on duty destroyed fifteen UAVs over Kursk region, nine UAVs over Lipetsk region, four UAVs each over Voronezh and Bryansk regions and two UAVs each over Oryol and Belgorod regions,' the ministry said in a Telegram post.
Voronezh Governor Aleksandr Gusev said on Telegram that air defences had 'destroyed several Ukrainian UAVs' and 'there were no casualties or damage'.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a major new land offensive on Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region last month in what he said was an operation to create a 'buffer zone' and push Ukrainian forces back to protect Russia's border Belgorod region from shelling. — AFP
Moscow has claimed new villages in the east of Ukraine regularly for weeks, as outgunned and outmanned Ukrainian forces struggle to hold them back.
Russia's defence ministry said its forces had 'liberated the settlement' of Novooleksandrivka as the Russian army pushes further westwards into the Donetsk region.
The village -- which lies north-west of occupied Ocheretyne -- is now the most western point of the region that Moscow holds.
Moscow also said its forces captured the small village of Spirne, further north in the Donetsk region near the border with the neighbouring Lugansk region.
Moscow's Ukraine offensive has dragged on for nearly two and a half years.
Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region declared a day of mourning Sunday, a day after a Russian strike on the town of Vilniansk killed seven people and wounded three dozen.
Russia struck Vilniansk, close to the regional hub of Zaporizhzhia, on Saturday.
'June 30 is a day of mourning in Zaporizhzhia region for those killed in the enemy attack on Vilniansk,' local governor Ivan Fedorov said on social media.
The interior ministry said the number of wounded rose to 36.
It said the victims were three children, one woman and three men.
Footage released by emergency services showed workers clearing debris, with an almost completely destroyed low-rise building and officials saying the strike had hit shops.
Ukraine said eight people had been killed in 24 hours in villages in the embattled east.
The Ukrainian army said Saturday Russia continued to attack towards the city of Toretsk, where it launched an offensive in recent weeks, and that a battle is underway in the nearby frontline village of New York.
Meanwhile, Russian forces destroyed three dozen Ukrainian drones in areas near the border, Moscow's Ministry of Defence said Sunday.
'Air defence systems on duty destroyed fifteen UAVs over Kursk region, nine UAVs over Lipetsk region, four UAVs each over Voronezh and Bryansk regions and two UAVs each over Oryol and Belgorod regions,' the ministry said in a Telegram post.
Voronezh Governor Aleksandr Gusev said on Telegram that air defences had 'destroyed several Ukrainian UAVs' and 'there were no casualties or damage'.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a major new land offensive on Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region last month in what he said was an operation to create a 'buffer zone' and push Ukrainian forces back to protect Russia's border Belgorod region from shelling. — AFP