"If the Russians are using this level of specialists in urban combat, they are probably facing some difficulties," Ivan Petrychak, spokesperson for the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, said.
Previously, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused the Russian intelligence services of orchestrating a May 2024 arson attack on the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw.
"Perhaps in some areas, the intensity decreased slightly to create an image of compliance with their own announcement. But in reality, (Russia) continued attacks every day, using all available weapons — including aircraft to drop guided bombs on Ukraine," Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, said.
Beijing supports all efforts toward achieving peace in Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on May 12 when asked about Kyiv and Europe's proposal for a 30-day truce.
"I invited His Holiness to make an apostolic visit to Ukraine. Such a visit would bring real hope to all believers and to all our people," Zelensky said.
Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak voiced doubt about leading negotiations with anyone from Russia except President Vladimir Putin, implying only the Russian leader can make real decisions.
This includes at least seven people injured in drone attacks overnight on May 12, a date from which Kyiv and its allies put forward a demand for a 30-day unconditional truce, a step that Moscow continues to reject.
"When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs," the Elysee Palace reacted to a fake story pushed by Russia.
The comments came after Trump urged Ukraine to agree to direct negotiations with Russia, which has invited Kyiv to peace talks in Istanbul on May 15, without first agreeing to halt military operations.
A Russian drone hit a civilian freight train in Donetsk Oblast on May 12 and injured its driver, Ukrainian Railways said amid Kyiv's calls for a ceasefire.
Moscow and Hanoi agreed to negotiate and sign agreements to construct nuclear power plants in Vietnam, the two countries said in a joint statement on May 11.
Smoke rising near the town of Chasiv Yar, Donetsk Oblast, on April 11, 2024. (Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukrainian forces are holding back Russia's assault in the Horlivka — Toretsk direction in Donetsk Oblast on June 22 amid ongoing fighting, Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the Khortytsia group of forces, told the Kyiv Independent.
His statement comes as Moscow's troops have reportedly increased their attacks near the town of Toretsk after a "long lull" in fighting in the area. Over the past day, Russia carried out six attack in the Toretsk sector, namely near Toretsk and the village of Pivnichne, but failed to succeed, Voloshyn said.
Toretsk, the strategically important town located less than 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the front line, had a population of around 31,000 before the start of the full-scale invasion.
According to the crowd-sourced DeepState monitoring service, Russian troops allegedly captured the village of Shumy, located some 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Toretsk.
Ukraine's General Staff did not comment on these claims in its latest update.
"No map can show you what is really happening on the front line. Everything is completely different there, and no conclusions can be made about the front breakthrough or its stabilization," Voloshyn told the Kyiv Independent.
Kyrylo Sazonov, a blogger and a soldier of the 41st Separate Mechanized Brigade deployed in the area, said that both Shumy and Pivnichne have been in the "gray zone" which came under constant attacks since 2015. He confirmed that Russian troops knocked out Ukrainian forces from "a couple of positions," but suffered losses.
"There is no catastrophe or tragedy. They (Russia) still have a long way to Toretsk and there is no easy option there," Sazonov wrote on Telegram on June 22.
"Toretsk and Chasiv Yar are under the control of Ukraine's Armed Forces," he added.
Russian troops started storming Chasiv Yar, an elevated town that potentially opens for Russia the way to further advances into Donetsk Oblast, from Toretsk direction a few days ago, Voloshyn said on June 21.
Russia lost some 40 soldiers in the Toretsk sectors over the past day, the spokesperson said.
The day before, Ukraine's 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade said it had been redeployed to bolster the Armed Forces' defense of Chasiv Yar.
Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
Asami Terajima
