Moscow continues to have the initiative on the front in eastern Ukraine. However, Russian troops have turned in a different direction in their attacks in the Donetsk region.
According to the Ukrainian military, the heavy fighting in the east of the country is continuing. There have been 115 battles, the General Staff in Kiev announced in its evening situation report. “The situation was hottest today in the direction of Kurakhovo, but the enemy was also active in the direction of Lyman and Pokrovsk,” it said. In the Kurakhovo area, the Ukrainian defenders have so far repelled 30 attacks, and five more are still ongoing.
Kurakhove is a small town south of Pokrovsk. For a long time, Pokrovsk was considered the main attack direction for Russian troops. Recently, however, the Russians were only able to make a few gains in the area. Instead, they broadened their attack axis towards the south.
Near Kurakhove they are now trying to capture the mining town of Hirnyk in order to either encircle Ukrainian forces or force them to abandon their positions. The Russian military blog Dwa Majora wrote of major advances in the region for the Moscow military.
