Russia Says Capture of Key Town and Three Villages in Eastern Ukraine

Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday the capture of the town of Krasnohorivka in eastern Ukraine, along with three villages in the Donetsk region—Hryhorivka, Halytsynivka, and Vodyane. The Russian military referred to these areas as “liberated,” with Krasnohorivka, which had a pre-war population of 16,000, serving as a strategic location west of Russian-held Donetsk.

Krasnohorivka had been a stronghold for Ukrainian forces, but its position became more vulnerable after the fall of nearby Marinka in December 2023 and Avdiivka in February. In recent weeks, Russian troops have made steady advances in the Donetsk region and are now nearing the town of Pokrovsk, a critical logistics and transport hub for Ukraine’s military operations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated last week that capturing the Donbas region, which includes Donetsk, remains Russia’s “primary objective.” While Moscow’s forces push forward in the east, Ukraine has launched an offensive into Russia’s Kursk region, claiming to have seized hundreds of square kilometers. Kyiv stated that one of the goals of this incursion is to force Russia to redirect its troops from eastern Ukraine.