Ukraine war briefing: Moscow reports gains in Donetsk in westward advance
www.theguardian.com
Sun, 19 Jan 2025 04:07:59 +0200
Russias defence ministry says its forces now control two more settlements in eastern Ukraine Kyiv says heinous attack kills three in capital.
What we know on day 1,061See all our Ukraine war coverageRussian forces took control of two more settlements in eastern Ukraines Donetsk region, Moscow said on Saturday, the latest in a series of gains it has reported in its steady advance westward.
Russias defence ministry said its forces were now in control of Petropavlivka, a village between the towns of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove, focal points in fighting in recent months in the area.
It also noted the capture of Vremivka, one of a cluster of small towns farther south in the Donetsk region.
Ukrainian military statements made no mention of either of the two villages changing hands, but referred to heavy fighting near the key city of Pokrovsk.A Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian capital killed three people on Saturday, Ukrainian leaders said, calling it a heinous attack, while Moscow described it as retaliation.
Ukrainian officials said another three people were killed in Russian strikes elsewhere in the country, and Moscow claimed fresh advances on the ground.
Kyiv officials said the victims were two men, aged 43 and 25, and a 41yearold woman, while AFP reported a multistorey building with windows blown out, debris strewn across the street, flooding, and the charred facade of a damaged McDonalds outlet.
The office of Ukraines general prosecutor said in a statement that the casualties included a security guard at a food establishment and people who were in a minibus on the street.The Russian foreign ministry said Ukraine and Britain had no room for cooperation in the Sea of Azov, commenting on a new 100year partnership agreement between Kyiv and London the two countries leaders announced on Thursday.
Any claims to this water area are a gross interference in the internal affairs of our country and will be firmly resisted, spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on the ministrys website.
The Azov Sea is bordered by southwest Russia, parts of southern Ukraine that Russia has seized in the war, and the Crimean peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014.Hundreds of Swedish troops arrived in Latvia on Saturday to join a Canadianled multinational brigade along Natos eastern flank, a mission Sweden is calling its most significant operation so far as a member of the western defence alliance.
Latvia borders Russia to its east and Russia ally Belarus to its southeast.
Tensions are high across central Europe due to Russias war against Ukraine.
Swedens armed forces said the mission of 550 troops marks Swedens largest commitment yet since joining Nato last year.Russia launched 39 Shahed drones, other simulator drones and four ballistic missiles in the early hours of Saturday, according to Ukraines air force.
Ukrainian air defence forces shot down two missiles and 24 drones.
A further 14 drone simulators were lost in location, the statement said.Industrial sites in Russias Kaluga and Tula regions were set ablaze by Ukrainian drone attacks, local officials said on Saturday.
Russias defence ministry said 46 Ukrainian drones had been destroyed across the country overnight.
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