Russian forces have successfully captured the villages of Vovche and Prohres in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, according to reports from Ukraine’s military. The villages, located about 20 miles northwest of Avdiivka and captured in February by Russia, have been overrun as part of Russia’s summer push to overwhelm battlefield defenses in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian Security Service also targeted substations in Russia’s Kursk region, causing power outages in response to Russia’s claim of intercepting a drone attack.
The Ukrainian army’s 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade confirmed the capture of Vovche and Prohres by Russian forces, citing the arrival of a large number of troops that had not been previously used in the area. The ongoing assaults in eastern Ukraine are part of a concerted effort by Russia to push through Ukrainian defenses, forcing local troops to retreat from defensive positions to avoid being captured or killed due to Russia’s superior firepower and advantage in soldiers and weaponry.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described the situation in the Donetsk region as “extremely challenging”, as Russia continues its attritional warfare strategy in the hopes of making incremental gains against Ukrainian defenses. The Ukrainian military is significantly outgunned by Russia’s larger army along the front line, which spans roughly 600 miles and has seen increased Russian attacks around the town of Pokrovsk in recent days.
Russia’s air defenses successfully thwarted a barrage of 39 Ukrainian drones over five regions, resulting in power outages in the Kursk region. The attacks were carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine’s Special Operations Center, targeting critical infrastructure facilities that support Russia’s occupation army operating in Ukraine. The Ukrainian military has been using high technology in its drone strikes deep inside Russia in an attempt to increase the cost of the war for Moscow and disrupt its war machine.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed control of the captured villages, though the Ukrainian General Staff did not make an official comment. The success of Russian forces in the Donetsk region marks the latest in a series of gains by the Kremlin in the ongoing conflict that has now entered its third year. Military officials in Ukraine have pointed to poor training of troops, low officer capabilities, motivation, and inadequate weapons as contributing factors to the setbacks faced by Ukrainian forces in the region.
The intensification of Russian forces in eastern Ukraine has led to increased attacks around Pokrovsk, with Russian troops launching over 50 attacks in the town over a 24-hour period. The heavy use of glide bombs to weaken Ukrainian defenses before infantry forces move in has enabled Russia to make incremental gains in the region. Ukraine has called for faster weapon deliveries from the US to counter Russia’s advances and strengthen its defenses in the face of ongoing assaults by Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.
