Russia is making military progress in the contested eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. The armed forces have successfully taken control of the place known as Artjomowskoe, also known as Chromowe by the Ukrainians.
According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, Russian units have “improved their positions along the frontline” with the support of air force and artillery and “liberated the village of Artemowskoje,” as reported by the German news website n-tv.de.
Satellite images show that before the Russian offensive in Ukraine, Chromowe consisted of a few streets and several dozen houses. Most settlements in the region, including Bakhmut, have been turned into ruins by the fighting, and almost all residents have left the area.
In May, after months of intense fighting, Russian forces captured Bakhmut. Russia’s Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu emphasized that the capture of the city would enable significant progress for Moscow. However, since May, Russian forces have not achieved further breakthroughs and have lost ground in the past six months.
These claims have not been independently verified or confirmed. Therefore, they should be viewed with caution. In war, it can be advantageous for conflicting parties to deliberately spread misinformation to strengthen their own position or weaken that of the enemy.
Image: Kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0, Vladimir Putin 18.03.2021.jpg, via Wikimedia Commons (no changes made)
