Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that it had captured Umanske, a small village in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, as part of its ongoing military operations in the area.
The village, previously home to fewer than 180 residents before the conflict began in February 2022, is approximately 25 kilometres northwest of the region’s major city, Donetsk, under Russian control.
The ministry referred to the action as having “liberated” the village within what it calls the “popular republic of Donetsk.” This claim marks another instance in Russia’s continued territorial advancements.
On Friday, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov highlighted that Russian forces had expanded their control by 880 square kilometres this year, indicating significant gains in various tactical directions.
Concurrently, Ukrainian forces, described as outnumbered and outgunned, face intense pressures, especially near the eastern city of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. The conflict had intensified since early May when Russian efforts concentrated on advancing toward Pokrovsk, about 30 kilometres from Umanske.
Amid these developments, Ukraine anticipates the arrival of long-awaited Western munitions, which could potentially shift the dynamics on the battlefield. Additionally, a recent decision by U.S. President Joe Biden to permit the use of American-supplied weapons for strikes within Russia has bolstered Ukrainian military capabilities, providing a critical advantage in the conflict.
