Russia Takes Control of Another Village in Donetsk as Western Advance Continues
Moscow is preparing to deploy nuclear weapons in response to perceived provocations and threats from Western officials.
Following intense fighting over several weeks, Russian forces have successfully taken control of the village of Ocheretyne in eastern Donetsk, according to a statement from Russia’s defense ministry on May 5.
The ministry declared, “Central Battlegroup units have fully liberated the settlement of Ocheretyne and improved their tactical positions.”
While Kyiv has yet to respond to these claims, The Epoch Times has not been able to independently verify the situation.
If true, the capture of Ocheretyne would bring Moscow closer to achieving complete control over the eastern Donbas region, a key objective for Russia.
In early 2022, Russia invaded eastern Ukraine under the guise of protecting Russian speakers in Donbas and stopping NATO’s expansion eastward.
Seven months later, Russia essentially annexed Donbas, consisting of Donetsk and Luhansk, along with two other regions, now regarded by Moscow as part of Russia.
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Backed by its Western allies, Kyiv has vowed to continue fighting against the superior Russian forces until all lost territories are regained.
In its nightly briefing on May 5, the general staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces did not mention Ocheretyne.
However, prominent Ukrainian war bloggers seem to acknowledge that the village is currently under Russian control.
Ocheretyne is situated approximately 12 miles northwest of Avdiivka, a town captured by Russian troops in February with air and artillery support.
Following this, Russian forces have made further gains, taking over several fortified villages in Donetsk and advancing northward and westward.
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu claimed that his forces had captured over 200 square miles of territory in Russia’s “new regions” since the beginning of the year.
The “new regions” include the four sizable regions annexed by Moscow, including Donetsk, in late 2022.
At a meeting with top commanders on May 3, Gen. Shoigu stated that Ukrainian army units are attempting to hold the front lines but have been compelled to retreat and abandon their positions under Russian pressure.
In addition to Ocheretyne, at least three other villages in Donetsk have recently fallen to advancing Russian forces.
Last week, Russia’s defense ministry announced the capture of the village of Berdychi, located approximately 10 miles northeast of Avdiivka.
Berdychi is 45 miles south of Bakhmut, which Russian forces took over last summer following nine months of intense ground combat.
Oleksandr Syrskyi, Kyiv’s top military commander, confirmed that Ukrainian troops in Donetsk have retreated to positions west of the frontline.
He emphasized the challenging nature of the ongoing fighting, particularly in the areas northwest of Avdiivka.
According to Gen. Syrskyi, Ukrainian troops have pulled back to safer positions west of the recently captured Donetsk villages.
He stated, “The enemy has achieved certain tactical successes in these areas but has failed to gain any operational advantages.”
The defense ministry of Russia claimed in the afternoon of May 6 that the Donetsk village of Soloviove had also been captured as a result of successful operations, a claim yet to be independently confirmed by The Epoch Times.
Russia to Rehearse Nuclear Weapon Deployment
In a related development, Moscow announced plans to conduct drills to test the deployment of some nuclear weapons as part of a broader military exercise.
The defense ministry stated on May 6, “The General Staff is preparing for drills in the near future with missile formations of the Southern Military District.”
The exercises, involving aircraft and naval forces, aim to improve the readiness of non-strategic nuclear forces to fulfill combat objectives.
The ministry indicated that these drills are a response to what it perceives as provocative statements and threats from Western officials against Russia.
While the ministry did not specify the Western officials in question, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron have made comments suggesting support for Ukraine against Russia.
A Kremlin spokesperson termed the proposed deployment of Western troops to Ukraine as an unprecedented move, requiring a special response.
Moscow frequently accuses Western allies of pushing the world towards nuclear conflict by providing Ukraine with offensive weaponry that has been used against Russia.
Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence, downplayed the seriousness of Russia’s planned nuclear exercises, labeling it as a constant practice of Putin’s regime.
Reuters contributed to this report.
