MOSCOW (Dispatches) – Russian troops continue to make gains in Donbass, and have captured the strategically important village of Ocheretino to the north of Donetsk, Russia’s Defense Ministry said.
In a statement on Sunday, the ministry said the Russian “Center” group of forces had “completely liberated” the settlement “as a result of active [battle] actions”. Ocheretino is located some 25km northwest of the town of Avdeevka, which was taken by Moscow’s troops in February, RT reported.
Earlier reports suggested that Russian forces captured the southern part Ocheretino as they advanced along a local rail line.
Due to its infrastructure and geographical position, it played a major role in Ukraine’s defense in the area, as it helped to provide supplies to Kiev troops. Western media have suggested that after capturing Ocheretino, Russia could try to envelop Ukrainian troops in the neighboring sectors of the front. According to Deep State, a Ukrainian analytical Telegram channel, the collapse of the defense in the area was triggered by a rotation blunder. The outlet claimed that the Ukrainian 115th Mechanized Brigade failed to relieve the 47th Brigade in time, leaving a portion of the front wide open to Russian attacks. The leadership of the 115th Mechanized Brigade has denied the accusation. Moscow’s gains in Ocheretino appeared to be confirmed last month by a video circulating on social media showing a Russian flag being raised over an administrative building in the village.
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has stated that the new assistance to Kiev recently approved by Washington will not be able to prevent “Russian advances in the coming period” on the battlefield, the Financial Times newspaper has reported.
At the same time, Sullivan said that in 2025, Ukraine intends to launch another offensive, the report said on Saturday.
“Sullivan said that he still expects ‘Russian advances in the coming period’ on the battlefield, despite the new U.S. funding package approved last month,” the daily reported.
U.S. President Joe Biden signed last week a supplemental package passed by Congress that provides $61 billion in additional aid for Ukraine.
News outlet admits that “resolving Ukraine’s personnel shortages is crucial to its chances against Russia”.
Russian forces are steadily advancing in the Ukraine conflict, the US Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, told senators on Thursday.