KYIV, Ukraine — Russian military officials declared on Monday that their troops have taken control of the strategic town of Kurakhove in eastern Ukraine after a prolonged conflict lasting several months. This claim adds Kurakhove to the list of territories captured by Russia during the nearly three-year-long war.
However, the Ukrainian military, which has been defending Kurakhove, rejected this assertion but acknowledged the ongoing Russian assaults on urban areas. The local command informed via Telegram that they are in the process of identifying and neutralizing enemy units attempting to breach their defenses.
Russia’s announcement followed a report indicating that Ukrainian forces had initiated new attacks in the Kursk region, located near the Russian border. It’s common for Ukrainian officials to issue responses to major defeats on the battlefield several days after such claims are made by Russia. As the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump approaches, it brings an element of unpredictability, prompting both sides to make strategic gains ahead of any potential diplomatic discussions.
While Trump has yet to outline a specific strategy for bringing an end to the hostilities, his administration is expected to have a significant impact on the conflict’s progression.
Kurakhove serves as a vital stronghold for Ukrainian forces along the eastern frontline in the partially occupied Donetsk region. It is home to an industrial zone, a thermal power plant, and a reservoir, and it lies on a key highway connection between eastern and southern Ukraine. Reports suggest that the town, which had a pre-war population estimated at around 14,000, currently has between 7,000 and 10,000 residents remaining, due to relentless attacks from artillery, drones, and other heavy weapons that have devastated the area.
Michael Kofman from the Carnegie Endowment shared insights on social media platform X, providing an assessment that presents a mixed view of the situation for Ukraine. He indicated that while Ukraine is effectively wearing down Russian forces, the territorial losses are concerning. “Russian advancements have been limited in comparison to their costs, and there hasn’t been a collapse of the frontline,” Kofman stated. However, he noted that the most severe part of winter lies ahead and expressed uncertainty regarding Ukraine’s strategy for success and future Western support.
Russia is making a gradual and costly advance aimed at seizing complete control of Donetsk, but the Ukrainian military faces challenges due to troop shortages and must manage the larger Russian forces effectively. Currently, Russian troops are reportedly trying to encircle Pokrovsk, a crucial logistics hub for the Ukrainian supply chain.
In 2022, Russia’s government unlawfully annexed Donetsk and the neighboring Luhansk regions, along with parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, but has yet to establish full control over any of these areas. Meanwhile, Ukraine is eager for expedited military support from Western allies, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope for additional pledges during an upcoming meeting with Western partners in Germany.
Reports from Russia’s Defense Ministry indicate that Ukraine has launched a new offensive in the Kursk region, where estimations suggest that Kyiv has lost about 40% of the ground previously gained during a rapid insurgent operation five months ago. While Russian officials claimed to have repelled this latest Ukrainian offensive, some accounts from military bloggers indicate that Russian troops are under considerable strain. The Institute for the Study of War, based in Washington, noted that Ukrainian forces have resumed offensive operations in multiple locations within Kursk, achieving some tactical progress.
