Ukraine still fighting for eastern town despite Russian claims of a takeover
Ukraine still fighting for eastern town despite Russian claims of a takeover
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Ukraine says the eastern town of Kurakhove remains partially in their control despite heavy Russian bombing. Ukraine has denied Russian claims that they have captured a key town in the eastern Donetsk region, but admitted that the situation looks desperate.
Russia claimed control of the eastern town of Kurakhove on Monday, after months of heavy fighting. The town has been decimated by continuous Russian shelling. A Ukrainian military spokesperson, however, said on Monday that fighting is ongoing in the western outskirts of the town.
“Currently, the situation in Kurakhove is indeed quite difficult, because a significant part of the city has been destroyed,” spokesperson Viktor Tregubov said. “[But] Ukrainian troops are holding on in the western part of the town, on the western outskirts of the town.”.
He added that fighting was taking place around the town’s thermal plant. Russia’s defence ministry often prematurely claims control of towns and cities in Ukraine, but footage over the past few days has shown soldiers raising their white, red and blue flag in Kurakhove. Ukrainian war tracker DeepState, known to have close ties to the military, records the town as almost completely occupied.
Ukrainian commentators have also been candid about the fate of the area. “The town of Kurakhove is effectively lost,” wrote Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Butusov, before acknowledging that some fighting was still taking place in the town’s industrial areas in the west.
