The conflict in Ukraine continues to escalate, with Russian forces claiming a new victory and reports of civilian casualties emerging from both sides. On Saturday, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the capture of the village of Zhelanne Druge, located in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. The village’s strategic importance lies in its proximity to Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub for Ukrainian forces.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported the deaths of five civilians in separate shelling incidents across the southern and eastern regions. In the Donetsk region, two civilians were killed in the city of Toretsk and the village of Velyka Novosilka, according to prosecutors. In the Zaporizhzhia region, Governor Ivan Fyodorov confirmed the deaths of two men in the village of Mala Tokmachka. Further north, in the Kharkiv region, a 49-year-old man died after his car was struck by a Russian drone.
In response, Russian-installed authorities in the city of Gorlivka and the Zaporizhzhia region reported civilian casualties from Ukrainian shelling and drone strikes. These conflicting accounts highlight the ongoing challenges in verifying information during wartime.
Since the start of the war in February 2022, Russia has seized control of approximately 18 percent of Ukrainian territory. Despite setbacks in 2022, Russian forces have managed to hold their ground and have recently launched offensives against Ukrainian forces.
The intensity of the fighting is evident in the continued exchange of missile attacks and drone strikes. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched three guided missiles and 13 attack drones against Ukraine overnight into Saturday. While the missiles were intercepted, three drones were shot down over the Odesa region and another 10 were lost.
The conflict continues to have a devastating impact on the civilian population, with lives lost and communities displaced. The international community continues to call for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and an end to the suffering of the Ukrainian people.
