Russian soldiers patrol the streets of Volnovakha, Donetsk region. Photo: AFP
“In the direction of Donetsk, thanks to the successful actions of military units of the Southern Forces, the village of Vesele in the (self-proclaimed) Donetsk People’s Republic was liberated,” the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
AFP might not verify this claim.
Vesele village is located 20 kilometers northeast of Bakhmut, an industrial city that was flattened following months of shelling and urban fighting earlier in the conflict.
Moscow announced it had annexed Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region – which it calls the “Donetsk People’s Republic” – in 2022, despite not having full control over the territory.
Millions of Ukrainians fled the east and south of the country following Russia launched a comprehensive military campaign in the country in February 2022.
Neither side has made any significant territorial gains in more than a year as the conflict reaches a stalemate.