MOSCOW: Russian forces have captured two additional settlements in eastern Ukraine amid intense fighting, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry on Wednesday.
The ministry reported that its troops had secured Maksymivka, located just north of Vuhledar, and Antonivka, near Kurakhove. This comes after months of intense combat in these contested areas as Russian forces continue efforts to solidify control along the eastern front.
While Ukraine's military acknowledged fighting near both villages, it has not confirmed that either has fallen.
Ukrainian forces reportedly repelled two assaults near Maksymivka and continued to defend positions around Vuhledar. The General Staff of Ukraine’s military described an ongoing "tense" situation around Kurakhove, with Russian forces launching 39 attacks on Ukrainian positions and pushing toward several villages, including Antonivka.
Nazar Voitenko, press officer of Ukraine’s 33rd separate brigade, described the situation in the Kurakhove area as precarious, citing the risk of encirclement as Russian forces advance. "The situation is indeed extremely challenging," Voitenko told Radio Liberty, noting a rapid deterioration in conditions since the summer.
Meanwhile, Russian Security Council head Sergei Shoigu on Thursday called on Western powers to either support peace negotiations or risk "the destruction of the Ukrainian population."
Speaking at a military alliance meeting of former Soviet states, Shoigu stated, “Now when the situation in the theater of combat is not in Kyiv’s favor, the West is faced with a choice: to continue financing [Kyiv] and the destruction of the Ukrainian population or recognize the current realities and start negotiating.”
As Russian forces control roughly one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory, they have largely focused on consolidating positions in the eastern Donbas region following failed attempts to capture the capital, Kyiv. Moscow's recent advances, particularly in September, mark some of the fastest gains since early 2022, despite Ukraine's counter-offensives.
The intensified fighting highlights the ongoing struggle for control in Ukraine’s east and raises questions about potential shifts in international engagement.
