The military of Ukraine claimed on Sunday that its troops repelled an offensive in the eastern Donetsk region neighborhood of Blahodatne, while the Wagner private military group of Russia claimed to have taken possession of the settlement.
In its daily morning report, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces noted that on Saturday, “Units of Ukraine’s Defence Forces withstood the attacks of the invaders in the areas of… Blahodatne… in the Donetsk region.”
It added that its forces repelled Russian attacks in the areas of 13 other settlements in the Donetsk region.
The Wagner Group, designated by the United States as transnational criminal organisation, said on the Telegram messaging app on Saturday that its units had taken control of Blahodatne.
Reuters was not able to independently verify the reports.
With fighting heating up in the Donetsk region, the exact line of contact has been unclear, especially around the town Bakhmut, were some of the heaviest fighting of the war has been taking place in recent weeks. The Wagner Group has made premature success claims before.
Ukraine has said that the Russian offensive on Bakhmut has not culminated, but the situation along the front line there has been growingly difficult. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that it was acute.
Four civilians were killed, one in Bakhmut, and 17 wounded in Russian attacks on the region on Saturday, Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of the Donetsk region said on the Telegram messaging app.
Ukraine has won promises of Western battle tanks and is seeking fighter jets to push back against Russian and pro-Moscow forces, which are slowly advancing along part of the front line.
On Saturday, Zelenskiy’s top aide said that expedited talks were under way between Ukraine and its allies about its requests for long-range missiles to prevent Russia from destroying Ukrainian cities.