Russian forces capture new village in Donetsk region, Ukraine acknowledges fighting

KYIV: Russia’s military said on Sunday that its forces had taken control of the village of Vyshneve in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region as they pursue their advance toward the logistical centre of Pokrovsk.

Ukraine’s General Staff made no mention of the village falling into Russian hands, but reported fighting in the vicinity. Popular Ukrainian war blog DeepState acknowledged the loss of Vyshneve and said Russian forces were moving on an adjacent village.

Ukraine’s General Staff, in an afternoon report on Facebook, said Russian forces had launched 19 attacks on the Pokrovsk sector of the 1,000-kms front line in eastern Ukraine. “In containing the pressure, the defence forces repelled enemy attacks,” it said. “The occupying forces are focusing their efforts on the villages of Promin and Vyshneve.”

DeepState said Russian forces were “becoming active near Hryhorivka,” a village west of Vyshneve on the way to Pokrovsk.

“They are trying, with infantry, to advance in forested areas along a rail line and they wanted to move into the village and gain a foothold,” it said. “Fortunately, this attempt was unsuccessful.”