Russia says captured another east Ukraine village
(FILES) This photograph shows a general view of the turbine hall of a thermal power plant damaged during a missile attack, at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, on December 5, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. – Ukraine’s energy installations were the target of a massive Russian missile attack on December 13, 2024 morning, the Ukrainian authorities announced, with Russia regularly bombarding these infrastructures and causing power cuts across the country at the height of the winter season. Ukraine is also in trouble on the front line, having retreated for months in the east in the face of the firepower of the Russian army, and at a time when American aid could dry up with Donald Trump’s return to power in January. (Photo by Anatolii STEPANOV / AFP)
Russia’s army said Monday it had captured another village in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, where its troops were steadily advancing.
The defence ministry said in a statement that its forces had “liberated” the village of Yelyzavetivka, around 10 kilometres (six miles) south of Kurakhove, a resource-rich town Russian troops were also trying to seize.
With more manpower and weapons, Russia’s army has been grinding through the eastern Donetsk region in 2024.
Over the last two months, Russia has been advancing at its fastest pace since the start of the military offensive, as Moscow seeks to improve its position on the battlefield ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump coming to power in January.
Russia has also claimed in recent weeks to have advanced in its western Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a surprise offensive in the summer.
Ukraine said Monday its troops had killed or wounded at least 30 North Korean soldiers who had been deployed by Russia to fight in Kursk.
“On December 14 and 15, army units from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) suffered significant losses near the villages of Plekhovo, Vorozhba, Martynovka in the Kursk region of Russia — at least 30 soldiers were killed and wounded,” Ukraine’s military intelligence said.
Ukrainian and Western intelligence agencies say Pyonyang has sent around 10,000 troops to fight alongside Russia’s army in the region.
Asked about casualties among North Korean troops, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday declined to comment.
