Ukraine Liberates Village in Western Donetsk
Amid heavy fighting and dense artillery fire, Ukrainian forces said they had retaken the village of Staromaiorske in western Donetsk late on Thursday.
Facts
- Amid heavy fighting and dense artillery fire, Ukrainian forces said they had retaken the village of Staromaiorske in western Donetsk late on Thursday.1
- The announcement was made in a video of troops published by Ukrainian Pres. Zelenskyy. One soldier said: "The 35th brigade and the 'Arei' territorial defense unit have fulfilled their task and liberated the village of Staromaiorske. Glory to Ukraine!"2
- Earlier in the day, Russian Pres. Putin said that Ukraine's counteroffensive efforts had "significantly" intensified in recent days — but claimed that no progress was made. "The enemy achieved no success on any contact swath," Putin said. "All counteroffensive attempts were stopped, and the enemy was pushed back with high casualties."3
- However, Putin's account was contradicted by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US military-affiliated think tank that tracks battlefield progress in the war. ISW confirmed Ukraine's recapture of Staromaiorske but also reported that Ukraine had made marginal gains west of Bakhmut in Donetsk.4
- Despite the gains, Ukrainian military officials conceded that progress has been slow, namely in the face of heavily fortified defensive lines dotted with rows of mines. Gen. Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, who is leading Ukraine's military campaign in the south, said Russia's military had displayed "professional qualities" that prevented Ukraine from "advancing quickly."5
- Meanwhile, Russia has also been conducting its offensive operations in recent days, with ISW reporting that its forces have made gains near Svatove and Kreminna in the Luhansk region. The think tank also reported that Russia launched assaults in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, though did not make any territorial advances.4
Sources: 1BBC News (a), 2The Kyiv Independent, 3TASS, 4Understandingwar, and 5BBC News (b).
Narratives
- Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by BBC News. Although Ukraine's counteroffensive is going slower than desired, it has made a key breakthrough in Staromaiorske and continues to make gradual advances elsewhere. Ukrainian forces are getting closer and closer to breaking through Russia's defensive lines.
- Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by TASS. Ukraine has intensified its counteroffensive in recent days but continues to have no success against Russia's defenses. All attacks were repelled, and Ukraine's forces were forced to retreat while taking heavy casualties.
