According to Russia’s Defence Ministry, Russian troops have taken control of the villages of Serebrianka and Mykolaivka in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, with military blogs indicating Russian progress near crucial frontline towns.
While Ukraine’s military did not confirm the loss of either village, they reported that both areas were experiencing fierce combat.
Bloggers from both factions noted a strong Russian offensive targeting the town of Selydove.
The Ukrainian General Staff stated that their forces successfully repelled all 12 Russian assaults in the vicinity of Serebrianka, located just within the northern border of the Donetsk region.
The well-known Ukrainian military blog Deep State reported that Ukrainian soldiers were facing significant challenges while defending Selydove, which is situated southwest of Mykolaivka. The capture of Selydove would facilitate a Russian advance towards Pokrovsk.
Deep State also mentioned that Russian forces, benefiting from “an abundance of infantry and equipment,” were exerting pressure on Ukrainian defenses and progressing from both the north and south.
Reuters has been unable to independently verify battlefield accounts from either side.
Earlier in the day, Russian military blogs reported clashes around Selydove as well as three other towns: Kurakhove and Hirnyk to the south, and Toretsk to the northeast.
Yuri Podolyaka, a pro-Russian military blogger of Ukrainian descent, claimed that Russian forces had captured the central, eastern, and southern districts of Selydove, which was home to 20,000 residents. He shared a video alleging to show a Russian flag atop a high-rise building.
Since February 2022, when Russian forces entered Ukraine, they have seen their quickest advances in September, the fastest rate since March 2022, as per open-source data, even though Ukraine regained a significant amount of territory following an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region in August.
