The head of the separatist Donetsk region announced that Russia was on the verge of taking control of the city of Maryinka, in the western part of the province.
TASS news agency quoted Denis Pushilin, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), today as saying that the Russian army has taken control of all high-rise buildings in the city of Maryinka, in the western part of the province. Donetsk. Pushilin said that Russia could soon take full control of the city.
“All high-rise buildings in the city of Maryinka are controlled by our forces. We hope to have complete control of Maryinka in the near future,” Pushilin told Russian TV channel Rossiya-24.
The official added that if they control Maryinka, Russia and pro-Russian forces could open their way to Krasnogorovka, where Ukrainian troops have gathered to shell Donetsk.
Ukraine has not yet commented on the above information.
In recent weeks, Russia has stepped up its offensive in the Donbas front, which includes the Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine. In particular, Ukrainian officials admit that Donetsk is currently the most fierce and bloody battlefield.
According to observers, Russia’s strategy is to completely control Donbas after being pushed back from the cities of Kherson and Kharkov.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the new commander-in-chief of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine Valeriy Gerasimov to gain complete control of Donbas, spokesman for the Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Andriy Yusov said on January 16. before March. Kyiv also said that Russia is preparing for a large-scale attack in February or March.
However, at a press conference today, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on this information. “I cannot and do not intend to comment on that,” Peskov said.
