Russian forces continue to advance in eastern Ukraine. Among them, Russia has claimed the occupation of one more village there. On Friday (November 22), the country's defense ministry said its forces had now captured the village of Novodmitrivka. Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov called it the latest achievement in an accelerated progress. British news agency Reuters reported this news.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military has not mentioned anything about the village, north of the city of Kurakhov. But in a report late that night, the Ukrainian General Staff noted that the village was one of eight villages where Russian forces were fighting and trying to advance.
Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield accounts of either side.
A video posted online showed Russian Defense Minister Belousov visiting a command post in Ukraine. That post belongs to the 'North' group of the Russian army. He was giving medals to soldiers for bravery there.
The defense minister was saying, 'Here we have done this now which has crushed the best Ukrainian units. Here now progress has accelerated. We have foiled their entire 2025 plan.'
Ukraine's General Staff said heavy fighting was underway in the Kurakhov sector of a 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front. Ten of the 35 sectors are still in armed conflict.
Russian forces have captured less than 20 percent of Ukraine's territory and advanced through the Donetsk region in the past two months, the fastest since March 2022, according to open source data.
They are advancing near the cities of Kurakhov and Pokrovsk in the north, which are Ukraine's only coal mines. They supply coking coal to the country's steel industry.
Russian forces have had more success north of Kharkiv's Kupyansk, near a rail and logistics center.
