Russia claims capture of two Donetsk villages; Ukraine says it repelled attacks
Moscow on Sunday said its forces had captured two villages in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, while Kyiv reported heavy frontline battles and repelling multiple attacks. The claims could not be independently verified.
The Russian Defence Ministry, in a statement on Telegram, said its troops had taken control of Vasyutinske, a settlement a few kilometres east of the city of Kramatorsk, and Toretsk, located southwest of Druzhkivka. The state-run RIA news agency carried the announcement, citing the ministry.
Ukrainian military officials made no acknowledgment of the two settlements changing hands. Reuters could not verify the battlefield reports independently, and the situation on the ground remained unclear.
The reported advances, if confirmed, would mark incremental gains for Russian forces, who have been slowly pushing westward through the Donetsk region. For months, the frontline, which stretches about 1,200 km, has seen little significant change despite intense fighting at various points.
The Ukrainian war blog DeepState, which uses open-source intelligence to document troop positions, reported that Russian forces had made advances near Illinivka, on the outskirts of the contested city of Kostiantynivka. The blog also reported Russian advances near Chasiv Yar, to the west of Bakhmut, a city that fell to Russian forces in 2023 after months of brutal combat.
In a late-evening report, the Ukrainian military's General Staff said Kyiv's forces had repelled 24 attacks around Kostiantynivka, Illinivka and other centres. The report did not confirm any loss of territory.
Russian commanders claimed last month that their forces had seized Kostiantynivka, but Ukrainian officials disputed that claim. The latest fighting suggests the area remains contested.
In his nightly video address on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made no direct reference to changes in frontline positions. However, he singled out for praise Ukrainian forces fighting in specific areas, notably Dobropillia, Kostiantynivka and Kramatorsk, indicating that these locations remain under active pressure.
The situation in the Donetsk region continues to be fluid, with both sides reporting clashes along a wide arc of the frontline. Civilians in the region have faced relentless shelling and displacement, and any territorial changes carry significant humanitarian consequences.
This report is based on statements from the Russian and Ukrainian militaries, as well as open-source monitoring. Independent verification of battlefield positions remains difficult due to ongoing hostilities and restricted access to the area.
