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Military: Russia gains foothold in Ocheretyne in Donetsk Oblast

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Ocheretyne, Donetsk Oblast, in April 2024.
Illustrative purposes only: Officers of the special police force "White Angel" Hennadiy Yudin 47(L) and Dmytro Solovyi 23 (R) walk past destroyed buildings and debris during the evacuation of local residents from the village of Ocheretyne not far from Avdiivka town in Donetsk Oblast, on April 15, 2024, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. (Anatolii Stepaov/AFP via Getty Images)

Russian forces managed to break in and gain a foothold in a part of Ocheretyne, a front-line village in Donetsk Oblast, Nazar Voloshyn, a spokesperson of the Khortytsia group of forces, said on April 27.

Ocheretyne lies around 15 kilometers (nine miles) northwest of Avdiivka, a key fortified town captured by Russia in February. The Avdiivka sector has remained one of the hottest sectors of the front as Russia continues in its offensive operations.

"The part (of Ocheretyne) in which the enemy is located is under our fire control. All steps are being taken to push the enemy out of there," Voloshyn said on air.

"Heavy battles are ongoing, the situation is under the control of Ukrainian defense forces."

According to the spokesperson, Russian forces have concentrated four brigades in this direction. Ukrainian defenders are pulling in reserves and taking steps to stabilize the situation in the Avdiivka direction and restore control over Ocheretyne, he added.

Ocheretyne has become a focal point of Russian offensive efforts in the Avdiivka sector, as the DeepState monitoring site shows regular advances by Moscow's troops deeper inside the village.

Voloshyn said on April 26 that two-thirds of the village remained under Ukraine's control. He also noted that Russian troops are using chemical weapons in their attempts to storm Ocheretyne.

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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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