Russian forces have taken control of the small settlement of Zaporizhzhya located in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, as reported by the Russian state news agency TASS on Saturday, referencing the Defence Ministry of Russia.
Russian military forces have seized control of the village of Zaporizhzhya located in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, as announced by the country’s Defence Ministry on Saturday, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.
This small settlement, which had a population of approximately 200 individuals prior to the conflict, is situated near the strategically significant city of Pokrovsk, a crucial transport hub that has experienced intense fighting in recent months. Capturing this village could grant Russian forces a tactical edge as they advance further in their eastern offensive.
It is important to distinguish this village from the larger city of Zaporizhzhia, which is a major industrial center located about 160 kilometers (90 miles) to the southeast.
In the meantime, Russian President Vladimir Putin made some of his most hardline statements regarding Ukraine during a question-and-answer session at an investment forum in St. Petersburg. “All of Ukraine is ours,” Putin asserted, reaffirming his conviction that Russians and Ukrainians constitute “one nation.” This statement, reported by The Independent, is among the most uncompromising remarks Putin has made since Donald Trump took office in the United States.
Putin also expressed concerns about the potential use of nuclear weapons, cautioning of “catastrophic” outcomes should Ukraine utilize a so-called “dirty bomb,” a claim that Kyiv has consistently denied.
Efforts within the United States to compel Moscow into peace negotiations seem to have lost traction. A working group established to investigate options for bringing Russia to the negotiating table has reportedly been disbanded. Officials have cited a lack of interest from Donald Trump, indicating a shift in Washington’s approach to the conflict.
With the recent territorial advancements and escalated rhetoric, Russia’s war in Ukraine appears poised to enter an even more unpredictable phase.
Additionally, Kyiv received the remains of 20 Russian soldiers instead of Ukrainian ones during exchanges of war casualties with Moscow, as stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday.
He charged Russia with failing to verify the identities of those they were dispatching, implying that Moscow might be intentionally inflating the count of Ukrainian casualties.
The repatriation of deceased soldiers and the swapping of prisoners of war has emerged as one of the limited avenues of collaboration between the conflicting parties since Moscow’s incursion into Ukraine in February 2022.
Earlier this month, Moscow and Kyiv reached an agreement during discussions in Istanbul to exchange the remains of 6,000 soldiers from each side.
Zelensky stated in comments released on Saturday, “It has already been confirmed during repatriations that the bodies of 20 individuals handed over to us as our fallen soldiers are Russian.”
He further remarked, “At times, these bodies even possess Russian passports.”
He also noted that an “Israeli mercenary” fighting alongside Moscow was included among those transferred.
Since the onset of the conflict, tens of thousands of soldiers have lost their lives on both sides. Neither nation routinely discloses data regarding military fatalities.
Zelensky indicated that there are presently “695,000 Russian troops” stationed on Ukrainian soil.
With contributions from various agencies.
