Russia announces the capture of another Ukrainian village as it advances towards a crucial city.

KYIV, Ukraine — On Friday, Russia announced that it had seized control of another village in its persistent offensive within the eastern Ukrainian Donetsk region, edging closer to the strategically significant logistics center of Pokrovsk after nearly three years of conflict.

While Russian forces claimed to have captured Novovasylivka, this assertion remains unverified, and there was no immediate response from Ukrainian officials. Nevertheless, early battlefield maps released by the Ukrainian General Staff indicated that the village is at least partially under Russian influence. A comparison of these maps with other documented assessments suggested that Novovasylivka is predominantly held by Russian forces.

Russian troops have been striving for several months to gain control over vital strongholds in Donetsk, particularly Pokrovsk and Chasiv Yar. They have been advancing through agricultural land and wooded areas while encroaching upon small rural communities.

The potential capture of Pokrovsk and Chasiv Yar might solidify the Russian military’s grip on Donetsk and could even pave the way for further operations into the adjacent Dnipro region. This renewed Russian offensive aligns with recent political developments and discussions surrounding a potential resolution to the war.

Novovasylivka is situated approximately 11 kilometers (7 miles) to the southwest of Pokrovsk, and Ukrainian authorities have suggested that Russia is executing a pincer strategy aimed at encircling Pokrovsk. This area functions as a crucial junction for both road and rail transport, facilitating the distribution of resources along the broad front line, while Chasiv Yar holds tactical significance due to its elevated position.

According to the General Staff of Ukraine, in just the last 24 hours, Ukrainian forces fended off 71 Russian assaults directed toward Pokrovsk, indicating that nearly half of the Russian offensives along the entire 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front have concentrated in this region.