MOSCOW: Russia’s defense ministry claimed on Sunday that its forces had seized control of yet another village in eastern Ukraine, marking a significant advancement in the ongoing conflict as Russian troops leverage their superiority in manpower and weaponry.
In recent days, Russia’s military has made notable progress in the eastern Donetsk region, prompting unusual criticism from Ukrainian military bloggers regarding the effectiveness of their country’s armed forces.
According to Russia’s defense ministry, the ‘Centre’ troop unit successfully liberated the village of Novobakhmutivka in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of active operations. Novobakhmutivka, situated approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles) north of Avdiivka, had fallen under Russian control following one of the deadliest battles of the two-year conflict back in February.
Collapse of Ukraine’s Defenses in Eastern Region
The Deep State Telegram channel, closely associated with Ukraine’s armed forces, placed blame on the leaders of Ukrainian units in the region for the “collapse of defenses throughout the region, resulting in significant losses.”
Moscow announced on Saturday that its troops had penetrated deeply into Ukrainian defensive lines around Donetsk. Ukrainian military leaders have reluctantly acknowledged Russia’s “tactical successes” in the area, admitting to a deterioration in their own positions.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of intelligence at Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, warned earlier this month that the battlefield situation is likely to deteriorate further for Ukraine by mid-May to early June.
Amidst the escalating conflict, Kyiv awaits the arrival of billions of dollars in US weapons, hoping that these reinforcements will help stabilize the situation along the extensive front lines.
