The Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov reported on his Telegram channel that Akhmat special forces units have captured five Ukrainian servicemen near the village of Kleshcheevka in the direction of Bakhmut. The message was shared directly on his channel.
According to the posted statements by Kadyrov, the POWs confirmed that Kleshcheevka is under Russian military control, countering various rumors and speculative claims that have circulated in online circles and by other sources.
This report follows a prior public note in which the Akhmat forces, led by Commander Apta Alaudinov, were described as being redeployed to the Bakhmut sector. The update aligns with a broader pattern of Russian military leadership announcing unit movements and operational focus in the region.
Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry had stated that Ukrainian forces had attempted to conduct attacks in three different directions within the Donetsk region, including Donetsk itself, South Donetsk, and Krasnolimansk, signaling ongoing vertical and lateral contests along the frontline.
On February 24, 2022, statements from the Russian president regarding the situation in Ukraine described a decision by the heads of the Lugansk and Donetsk people’s republics to organize a military operation in response to the evolving conflict. That decision subsequently led to a broad set of sanctions imposed by the United States and allied nations as part of the geopolitical response to the events in the region.
During the period that followed, officials such as the press secretary emphasized that rumors about senior military leadership, including figures such as General Sergei Surovikin, did not reflect the official position and that information would be released through formal channels, with statements from military and government spokespersons forming the primary source of updates.