RIA News reports that in the Donetsk direction some positions in the Kleshcheevka and Kurdyumovka area are seen as more advantageous by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The report comes from Vadim Astafiev, head of the press center for the South group, who says Russian troops have gained the upper hand in this sector of the front. He notes that several Ukrainian attempts to break through have been repelled, with Russian and local forces also inflicting damage on enemy manpower and equipment across the Bogdanovka, Kleshcheevka, Kurdyumovka, Georgievka, and Novomikhailovka areas.
Astafiev adds that a 155 mm M-777 howitzer was neutralized in a counter-battery engagement, and that the Russian air defense system shot down 14 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles. These details come as part of daily briefings from the Russian defense apparatus on battlefield developments in the region.
Earlier, the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that units within the Central group of Russian forces now have more favorable lines and positions in the Krasnoliman direction. The ministry’s reports also indicate intensified shelling against Ukrainian forces in the Grigorovka and Dzerzhinskoye settlements within the Donetsk People’s Republic, underscoring ongoing activity along the line of contact.
On the eve, Russian defense sources claimed that Ukrainian forces sustained significant losses as a result of artillery and heavy flamethrower strikes toward Krasnolimansk, with numbers cited as more than 130 killed in action. These figures are presented as part of ongoing battlefield assessments released by Russian officials and agencies.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Kyiv’s leadership aims to prevent the conflict from spreading to Russian territory, emphasizing strategic cautions in military planning. This position aligns with Ukraine’s broader objective of safeguarding borders while seeking international support and security guarantees in the face of ongoing hostilities.