Russia said Sunday its armed forces had seized the village of Ocheretyne in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, the latest in a string of small territorial gains for Moscow.
After capturing the nearby industrial hub of Avdiivka in February, Russia has pressed its manpower and weapons advantage on the battlefield, advancing several kilometers deeper into Ukraine in places.
The Defense Ministry said Russian troops had “completely liberated the village of Ocheretyne in the Donetsk People’s Republic.”
Ocheretyne is around 15 kilometers northwest of Avdiivka.
Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky said last week that Kyiv had pulled back from three villages in the eastern Donetsk region and was building a new line of fortifications.
Kyiv has struggled amid delays to vital Western weapons supplies in recent months and hopes the arrival of U.S. arms will help it stabilize the front lines.
