- Russia claims halting counteroffensive near Donetsk
- Mariinka seizure denied
- Warship damaged in Crimea
The claim that Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu’s forces have seized the strategic town of Mariinka in eastern Ukraine was promptly denied by Kiev.
The “powerfully fortified” region just outside Donetsk, the regional capital held by Russia, was reportedly captured by assault units. Mr. Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin about it.
Oleksandr Shtupun, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military, stated that “the battle for Mariinka” is ongoing.
Considered a gateway to Donetsk, Mariinka has been nearly entirely devastated.
A distinct development involved the confirmation by the Russian Ministry of Defence that a Ukrainian assault on the port of Feodosiya in occupied Crimea sustained damage to one of its warships. One person was killed, according to officials.
Early Tuesday morning, according to the chief of the Ukrainian Air Force, the landing ship Novocherkassk, which was utilized to transport troops and heavy equipment, was destroyed by enemy aircraft.
Mr. Shoigu briefed President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday regarding the ship’s damage. He then announced that Russian forces had halted the Ukrainian counteroffensive and were now advancing on all fronts.
The previous day, Russian state television captured him stating to Vladimir Putin, “Today, the South group’s assault detachments completely liberated the settlement of Mariinka, located three miles [five kilometres] to the southwest of Donetsk.
Mariinka’s Nine-Year Fortification Against Russian Assaults
Formerly inhabited by 10,000 individuals, Mariinka has remained under Ukrainian control since the inception of the Kremlin’s conflict in eastern Ukraine, which commenced in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and the occupation of portions of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions by its proxy forces.
Mariinka was evacuated in 2022, when the full-scale invasion commenced, after being subjected to unremitting Russian assaults.
“The Ukrainian armed forces have constructed a formidable fortified area with underground passageways connecting it for the past nine years,” Mr. Shoigu said, adding that this fortification has now been breached.
Every street is equipped with fortified structures. They withstand air and artillery assaults, along with long-lasting firing points and intricate subterranean communication networks.
Vladimir Putin proclaimed the purported conquest a “success” and stated that Ukrainian forces had been repelled from Donetsk, an area that they had been habitually bombarding from Mariinka.
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The Kremlin leader added that Russian forces in Donetsk have the “opportunity to expand their operational area.”
The Ukrainian military refuted the Russian assertion later on Monday.
“Saying Mariinka is completely seized was incorrect,” Mr. Shtupun stated on Ukrainian television.
“At this time, our troops are situated within the administrative boundaries of Mariinka,” further stated the military spokesman.
Battleground Dynamics
Previously, Ukrainian military bloggers documented the presence of Ukrainian troops in a confined region of western Mariinka.
Ukraine has employed the town as a defensive barrier since 2014. Fighters supported by Russia captured extensive portions of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions at that time.
The comprehensive incursion into Ukraine was initiated by President Putin in February 2022.
Also Russian military have intensified their attacks in vital areas over 1,200 kilometres (745 miles) along a battlefront in recent weeks.
They have been attempting to encircle Avdiivka, another strategic community near Donetsk, in addition to Mariinka.
In southern Ukraine, Ukrainian forces are also attempting to expand their bridgehead along the left (eastern) bank of the Dnieper.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine announced last week that the military was preparing to mobilize an additional 500,000 individuals.
His remarks come as Ukraine struggles with an ammunition shortage. Due to funding cuts from its main allies, the US and EU, the gap exists.
At the onset of winter, Kiev’s counteroffensive stalled, and there are concerns that the Russians may simply outarm Ukraine.
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