KYIV: Russian forces have captured two additional villages in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, intensifying military pressure as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict falter.
Moscow’s defence ministry announced the seizure of Sredneye and Kleban-Byk via Telegram on Saturday, marking further incremental gains in the grinding offensive.
The capture of Kleban-Byk advances Russian troops closer to Kostiantynivka, a heavily fortified town guarding the approach to the key Ukrainian logistics hub at Kramatorsk.
This follows Friday’s claim by Russia that its troops had taken three other villages in the same region, which Moscow illegally annexed in September 2022.
Ukrainian military officials countered on Saturday that their forces had halted a Russian advance and recaptured the village of Zeleny Gai in Donetsk.
Russia had previously claimed control of Zeleny Gai in July, describing it as an important Ukrainian stronghold near the Dnipropetrovsk border.
These latest territorial shifts occur alongside diminishing hopes for a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa added his support for such a summit during a Saturday telephone conversation with Zelensky.
“President Ramaphosa stressed the urgency of holding bilateral and trilateral meetings between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine and the United States as key to signal a firm commitment to ending the war,” stated his office.
Ramaphosa, who currently chairs the G20, also discussed the matter with French President Emmanuel Macron and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
The South African leader had previously described Putin as a “dear ally” and “valued friend” during October’s BRICS summit.
South Africa nevertheless backed a UN resolution earlier this year declaring Russia’s actions a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Zelensky expressed readiness for talks with Putin but accused Moscow of deliberately prolonging the offensive.
“However, we see that Moscow is once again trying to drag everything out even further,” he posted on X.
He urged the Global South to send “relevant signals and (push) Russia toward peace”.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on Friday that “no meeting” was planned as US mediation efforts appeared to stall. – AFP