Russia's Defense Ministry said Saturday that its troops had taken control of the Lozuvatske settlement in the Pokrovsk sector of Ukraine's Donetsk region, the scene of the fiercest fighting in the 29-month-old war.
The Ukrainian General Staff did not mention the settlement in its report, but noted that the area around the settlement was hit by heavy fighting. Unofficial military blogs have reported the loss of at least two other locations in the sector.
Russian forces are slowly but steadily advancing through the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, making steady and gradual progress since capturing the key town of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region in February.
Russia's Defense Ministry said the central group of its forces had captured Lozuvatske, northwest of the Russian-held regional center of Donetsk.
The ministry also reported that its forces had launched attacks on other areas in the sector and repelled three Ukrainian counterattacks.
Ukraine fends off 17 attacks
Ukrainian officials have reported for weeks that the Pokrovsk sector is seeing the heaviest fighting on the 1,000-kilometer (621.3-mile) front.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed the sector twice on Thursday (25/7) with his top commander, Olexandr Syrskyi.
Ukraine's General Staff reported Saturday that its forces had thwarted 17 attacks in the region, with 10 clashes still ongoing.
“The situation is difficult, but under the control of the armed forces,” the report said.
Popular unofficial Ukrainian military blog, DeepStatedid not mention Lozuvatske in its latest report but in the last two days has reported the fall of two villages in the sector, Prohres and Vovche
Ukraine's official statement did not acknowledge the defeat.
Four Civilians Killed
On Saturday (27/7) morning, Ukrainian officials said Russian shelling killed at least four civilians in a separate region of Ukraine.
A 14-year-old boy was killed in a rocket attack on the town of Hlukhiv.
Governor Oleh Syniehubov said one person was killed after his house was burned down in the town of Chuhuiv, another region frequently targeted by Russian attacks, while two others were killed in the cities of Kherson and Beryslav.
The Kherson region was occupied in the early days of the Russian invasion in February 2022, but Ukrainian forces recaptured most of it by the end of the year. Russian forces continue to attack Ukrainian-held areas from new positions.
Reuters could not independently confirm the reports and there was no comment on the incident from Russian officials. (ft)
