Russia claimed Monday the capture of a new village in eastern Ukraine, near the borders of the Zaporizhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions, with its troops having the advantage against struggling Ukrainian soldiers.
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The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that its forces had “liberated” the village of Storojevé, in the eastern Donetsk region.
It is located very close to the small town of Velyka Novossilka, which its soldiers seem to be encircling.
It is also only about fifteen kilometers from the regions of Zaporizhia and Dnipropetrovsk, further to the west.
The Russians have accelerated their advance in the Donetsk region, a target for months. It is part of Donbass, a historic Ukrainian mining basin that Russian President Vladimir Putin sees as “a priority”.
The most violent fighting is concentrated there for the moment, but the advance of Russian soldiers is bringing the front line closer to the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Ukraine also suspects Russia of preparing an offensive in the southern region of Zaporizhia. Moscow's troops already occupy part of it, but the southern front has remained relatively stable since the start of the year, compared to the eastern front.
A large-scale Russian attack would pose a challenge to the Ukrainian army, whose forces are already strained in the eastern regions.
Russian troops seized more Ukrainian territory in November than in any other month since March 2022, according to an AFP analysis based on data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), based in the United States.
Russia has accelerated its advance into eastern Ukraine in recent months, seeking to gain as much territory as possible before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes power in January.
He promised to quickly end the conflict, without ever really explaining how he intended to proceed.
Ukraine, given its current military difficulties, fears being forced into an unfavorable agreement.
