Russia Claims Full Control of Siversk Amidst Ongoing Ukrainian Resistance

On Thursday, Russia announced that its troops had taken complete control of Siversk, a city in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, where hostilities have escalated recently. However, Ukraine refuted claims that the critical settlement had been lost.

The Russian military has been gradually making progress in eastern Ukraine, advancing against outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainian forces, particularly in Donetsk, where some of the most intense fighting is occurring.

In a report to President Vladimir Putin during a televised meeting with military leaders, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov stated that Moscow’s forces had captured Siversk.

According to Putin, the Russian army in Ukraine is «confidently advancing across the entire front,» and he expressed gratitude to the commanders and soldiers for their military efforts.

Last month, Putin mentioned that his troops were making headway toward Siversk, which housed approximately 11,000 residents before the conflict, asserting that the Russian offensive was «virtually unstoppable.»

The Ukrainian eastern command has dismissed Russia’s assertions of having taken Siversk, declaring that the city «remains under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.»

In a Facebook post, they noted, «The enemy is attempting to infiltrate Siversk in small groups, exploiting adverse weather conditions, but the majority of these units are being neutralized at the approaches.»

Siversk is situated around 30 kilometers (18 miles) east of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, the last two major cities in the Donbas region still controlled by Ukraine—an area that has drawn Moscow’s interest.

Earlier in the month, Moscow announced that it had taken Pokrovsk, a former transportation hub also located in Donetsk, although Kyiv contends that clashes are still occurring there.

Putin has indicated that Moscow is prepared to continue its efforts to seize additional territory it claims in eastern Ukraine if Kyiv does not concede as part of a peace agreement.

Eastern Ukraine has suffered greatly since Russia commenced its invasion in February 2022, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties and millions displaced from their homes.