Russia claims capture of 2 villages in Ukraine’s Donetsk region
- Ukraine’s president acknowledged Kyiv’s forces were under pressure as Russians advanced in the war-torn region
Russia said on Sunday its forces had captured two villages in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, as they push towards the city of Pokrovsk, northwest of the regional capital.
The Russian defence ministry said troops had taken control of the neighbouring villages of Progres and Yevgenivka, a few kilometres apart.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged Kyiv’s forces were under pressure in the region during his evening address on Sunday.
“It is extremely challenging in the Donetsk directions, and it is in the Pokrovsk direction that there have been the biggest number of Russian assaults these weeks – the most intense enemy attacks are precisely there,” he said.
“Everyone who stops these Russian strikes and destroys this Russian offensive potential is performing one of the most important missions in this war.”