Ukraine Says It Recaptured Area In Donetsk But Suffers Loses In Overnight Russian Attack

Ukraine claimed that it has recaptured an area in the Donetsk region from Russian forces but suffered losses in overnight air strikes by Moscow.

Ukrainian soldiers carry explosive charges for their artillery position in the direction of Klishchiivka, in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine.

Source : Getty

Even as Ukraine claimed that it recaptured the village of Urozhaine in the Donetsk region from Russian forces, it suffered losses in overnight air strikes by Russian forces which damaged grain silos and warehouses at the river port of Reni on the Danube, a vital wartime route for Ukrainian food exports, Reuters reported.

Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said on messaging app Telegram, "Urozhaine liberated", adding that "our defenders are entrenched on the outskirts."

The village in the Donetsk region is part of a cluster of settlements which Ukraine declared as liberated since early June when it started to push back the Russian troops.

Urozhaine was the first village Ukraine claimed to have retaken since June 27 when it announced the recapture of neighbouring Staromaiorske, Reuters reported.

Reuters said there was no immediate comment from Russia. However, Russian military bloggers said fierce fighting raged near the village and that Russian units were trying to prevent Ukraine from strengthening its positions in the area.

The recapture of the village implied that Ukraine was pressing ahead with an offensive drive south towards the Sea of Azov that aims to cut Russian occupying forces in half. 

However, Kyiv also suffered damage after Russia kept targeting the port infrastructure on the Danube to mount pressure on Ukrainian food exports after Moscow exited a year-old deal that allowed Kyiv to ship out grain via the Black Sea.

Regional governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram, "Russian terrorists attacked the Odesa region twice last night with attack drones. The main target is port and grain infrastructure in the south of the region."

Kyiv said its counteroffensive push was progressing slower because of the vast Russian minefields and prepared Russian defensive lines, Reuters reported.

As the war rages, Moscow controls nearly a fifth of Ukraine, including the peninsula of Crimea, most of the Luhansk region and large tracts of the regions of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.