The Russian Defense Ministry said yesterday that its forces had taken control of the village of Lozuvatske in the Pokrovsky sector of Ukraine's Donetsk region, where some of the fiercest fighting in the 29-month war is taking place, Reuters reported, citing BTA.
Ukraine's General Staff made no mention of the settlement in its briefings, but noted that heavy fighting was taking place in the surrounding area.
Unofficial military bloggers reported the loss of at least two more settlements in the sector.
Russian forces have been slowly and steadily advancing through eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region since capturing the key town of Avdeyevka in Donetsk region in February.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that forces of its “Center” have captured Lozuvatske, northwest of the Russian-controlled regional center of Donetsk.
The ministry also reported that Russian forces also struck other settlements in the sector and repelled three Ukrainian counterattacks.
Ukrainian officials have been reporting for weeks that the Pokrovsky sector is engulfed in the heaviest fighting along the 1,000-kilometer front line.
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the situation in the sector twice with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Sirsky.
Ukraine's General Staff reported yesterday that Kiev's forces have repelled 17 attacks in the area, and fighting continues in 10 locations.
„The situation is serious, but it is under the control of the armed forces”, the summary says.
The popular Ukrainian unofficial military blog "Deepstate" (DeepState) did not mention Lozuvacke in its latest report, but in the last two days reported the fall of two villages in the sector – Prokhres and Vovche.