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Ukraine has liberated Dniproenerhiia village in Donetsk Oblast, commander claims

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Ukraine has liberated Dniproenerhiia village in Donetsk Oblast, commander claims
Ukrainian servicemen from the 93rd Brigade drive a battle tank to position near Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on Dec. 23, 2024. (Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Ukrainian forces have recaptured the village of Dniproenerhiia in Donetsk Oblast's Volnovakha district and advanced in two key front-line sectors in the past two months, Lieutenant General Serhii Naiev, commander of the Vuhledar tactical group, reported on April 15.

"I have been in command of the tactical group for two months. During this period, we managed to reduce personnel losses by 20%, regain control of the village of Dniproenerhiia, and improve the tactical situation in two critical areas," Naiev wrote on Telegram.

Dniproenerhiia, located along the Mokri Yaly River in the Komar community, has long been a contested area in eastern Ukraine. The settlement, which had a pre-war population of some 100 people, lies 35 kilometers (20 miles) northwest of occupied Vuhledar.

Naiev did not specify the date of the settlement's liberation. The monitoring group DeepState lists the village as partially occupied as of April 14, with reported Russian advances in the nearby settlements of Katerynivka, Terny, and Pishchane.

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The estimated Russian advance in the Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, as of April 14, 2025, according to DeepState map. A white symbol marks the village of Dniproenerhiia. (DeepState / OpenStreetMaps)

Naiev said Ukrainian troops eliminated about 9,500 Russian soldiers and destroyed 51 tanks, 166 armored vehicles, and 819 pieces of other equipment over the past two months in the sector.

The commander also noted that Russia is ramping up its assault operations, deploying more troops and hardware to the front.

The reported tactical gains come amid a broader escalation by Russian forces, particularly in Donetsk Oblast.

Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on April 9 that Russia's new spring offensive "has actually already begun," with fighting intensifying around key locations, including Pokrovsk, a major logistics hub northwest of occupied Donetsk.

CNN, citing Ukrainian General Staff reports, said Russian troops have been attempting breakthroughs along multiple sectors just as Washington renewed pressure for a ceasefire.

Despite mounting battlefield pressure, Ukrainian forces continue to conduct counterattacks to contain Russian advances and reclaim lost ground.

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Tim Zadorozhnyy

News Editor

Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.

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