The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Sept. 8 that its forces had captured the town of Novohrodivka in Donetsk Oblast, while Ukraine's military said that battles are ongoing in the area.
Novohrodivka is around 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Pokrovsk, an important logistical hub for Ukrainian forces. The sector is described by the Ukrainian military as the most difficult and has seen months-long fierce fighting.
Serhii Tsehotskyi, an officer with Ukraine's 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) on Sept. 2 that the military command decided to withdraw from Novohrodivka because the town had "an unfavorable geographical location."
There were also unconfirmed reports that the town had been poorly fortified, and Russian soldiers captured it in a few days. The General Staff neither announced Ukraine's withdrawal from Novohrodivka nor commented on the claims.
In their daily updates, the military said that Ukrainian soldiers repel dozens of attacks near the settlements surrounding Pokrovsk, including Novohrodivka. The statement did not specify whether battles are ongoing within Novohrodivka itself or only in its vicinity.
The Kyiv Independent reached out to the Ukrainian military but has not received a response at the time of publication.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported capturing four other settlements near Pokrovsk over the past week: Zhuravka, Skuchne, Karlovka, and Zavitne. These claims could not be verified.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that Russia's advance in the Pokrovsk direction had been halted in the past six days in an interview with CNN aired on Sept. 5. He linked this development to Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast, which was designed to divert Russian forces from Pokrovsk and other hot sectors in Donetsk Oblast.
Asami Terajima
(Updated: )
