Russia takes villages in key areas of east Ukraine
Published: 05:12 PM,Dec 15,2024 | EDITED : 09:12 PM,Dec 15,2024
A Ukrainian member of the police looks for drones in the sky during an evacuation of civilians, in the eastern Donetsk region. — AFP
MOSCOW: Russia on Sunday said its forces had captured villages in two key frontline areas of eastern Ukraine as they advance towards the supply hub of Pokrovsk and the industrial town of Kurakhove. The defence ministry said in a daily briefing that troops had 'liberated' the village of Vesely Gai south of Kurakhove and the village of Pushkine south of Pokrovsk, both in the Donetsk region. Russia has been grinding forward for months in the Donetsk region and its troops have recently accelerated their advance. They captured more Ukrainian territory in November than in any month since March 2022, according to analysis of data from the US Institute for the Study of War.
Ukraine's Khortytsia group of troops on Sunday reported ongoing 'exhausting clashes' on the outskirts of Kurakhove and in the town itself, as well as further north in the heavily battered hilltop town of Chasiv Yar. 'The situation is complex and changing. Our troops are currently taking measures to improve the tactical situation,' the group of troops said on Telegram.
On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia had begun deploying North Korean soldiers to storm Ukrainian positions in the Kursk region. He spoke after Russian authorities said their firefighters were battling a blaze in the western Oryol region caused by a drone attack, with Ukraine saying it had hit a major oil terminal. 'Today, we already have preliminary data that the Russians have begun to use North Korean soldiers in their assaults. A significant number of them,' said Zelensky in his evening address. 'The Russians include them in combined units and use them in operations in the Kursk region,' he said. While so far they had only been deployed there, they might also be sent to other parts of the frontline, he said, adding: 'There are also already noticeable losses in this category.'
Washington and Seoul have accused Pyongyang of sending more than 10,000 soldiers to help Moscow, after Russia and North Korea signed a landmark defence pact this summer. The two US foes have strengthened their military ties since Moscow's attack of Ukraine in February 2022. Zelensky said last month that 11,000 North Korean troops were in Russia's western Kursk region and had already sustained losses.
Russian officials said firefighters were battling a blaze caused by a drone attack in the western Oryol region. Ukraine has been targeting fuel depots in Russia in retaliation for Moscow's strikes wreaking havoc on its power-generation network. The Ukrainian military said on Saturday morning that its forces had attacked a major oil depot in Stalnoi Kon, about 165 kilometres into Russian territory. One of the largest terminals in Russia, it served Russia's 'military industrial complex' supplying the army, the General Staff said. The governor of Oryol region, Andrei Klychkov, said on Telegram that a fire was blazing at 'a fuel infrastructure facility' in Stalnoi Kon after a 'massive drone attack'. By Saturday evening, he said, firefighters appeared to be getting it under control, but local residents were advised to keep windows closed and not go out. — AFP
Ukraine's Khortytsia group of troops on Sunday reported ongoing 'exhausting clashes' on the outskirts of Kurakhove and in the town itself, as well as further north in the heavily battered hilltop town of Chasiv Yar. 'The situation is complex and changing. Our troops are currently taking measures to improve the tactical situation,' the group of troops said on Telegram.
On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia had begun deploying North Korean soldiers to storm Ukrainian positions in the Kursk region. He spoke after Russian authorities said their firefighters were battling a blaze in the western Oryol region caused by a drone attack, with Ukraine saying it had hit a major oil terminal. 'Today, we already have preliminary data that the Russians have begun to use North Korean soldiers in their assaults. A significant number of them,' said Zelensky in his evening address. 'The Russians include them in combined units and use them in operations in the Kursk region,' he said. While so far they had only been deployed there, they might also be sent to other parts of the frontline, he said, adding: 'There are also already noticeable losses in this category.'
Washington and Seoul have accused Pyongyang of sending more than 10,000 soldiers to help Moscow, after Russia and North Korea signed a landmark defence pact this summer. The two US foes have strengthened their military ties since Moscow's attack of Ukraine in February 2022. Zelensky said last month that 11,000 North Korean troops were in Russia's western Kursk region and had already sustained losses.
Russian officials said firefighters were battling a blaze caused by a drone attack in the western Oryol region. Ukraine has been targeting fuel depots in Russia in retaliation for Moscow's strikes wreaking havoc on its power-generation network. The Ukrainian military said on Saturday morning that its forces had attacked a major oil depot in Stalnoi Kon, about 165 kilometres into Russian territory. One of the largest terminals in Russia, it served Russia's 'military industrial complex' supplying the army, the General Staff said. The governor of Oryol region, Andrei Klychkov, said on Telegram that a fire was blazing at 'a fuel infrastructure facility' in Stalnoi Kon after a 'massive drone attack'. By Saturday evening, he said, firefighters appeared to be getting it under control, but local residents were advised to keep windows closed and not go out. — AFP