RUSSIA claims to have seized a strategic town located in eastern Ukraine, With President Putin hailing the move as a success, however, Ukrainian forces said that the fight is still ongoing.
Marinka, a small, eastern Ukrainian town with a population of around 10,000 people, has now fallen in the hands of Russian forces, or so they claimed.
In a recent meeting shown on Russian state television, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Putin that their forces have completely liberated the said town, to which Putin hailed as a success that would mean less shelling on the Russian-occupied Donetsk City.
In the course of active offensive actions, the assault units of the Southern militias have completely liberated Marinka, which is 5 km southwest of Donetsk.
In 9 years, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have made a powerful fortified area, which is connected with underground passages.
Located southwest of Donetsk, Marinka is seen as Russia’s most significant gain since the capture of Bakhmut in May of this year.
Putin said that the control of Marinka would allow Russian forces to move enemy combat units away from Donetsk.
Meanwhile, footage of Russian forces celebrating their victory went viral on various social media platforms.
However, Ukrainian forces said that the fight for this small town is still continuing.
Oleksandr Shtupun, the spokespan for the Ukrainian Tavria group of forces, said that while Marinka is completely destroyed, Ukrainian soldiers are still in the administrative borders of Marinka.
“Currently, our soldiers are in the administrative borders of Marinka.”
Also, the Ukrainian general staff recently said that Kyiv’s defense forces continued to hold back the enemy in the areas of Maryinka and Novomykhailivka in the Donetsk region, repelling five Russian attacks.
“Ukrainian defense forces continued to hold back the enemy in the areas of Maryinka and Novomykhailivka in the Donetsk region, repelling five Russian attacks,” Ukrainian General Staff stated.
Russia’s claim of Marinka liberation comes as its forces have increased pressure in recent weeks.
To recall, after Russia captured Bakhmut in May, Ukraine launched a June counteroffensive aimed at retaking the country’s east and south, including the said besieged city. But Kyiv forces did not achieve any notable success.
Meanwhile, Ukraine recently claimed that it destroyed a Russian navy vessel.
The strike targeted the Feodosia port town in Crimea.
Mykola Oleshchuk, commander of Ukraine’s air force, said that their attack destroyed the Russian Navy’s Novocherkask ship.
Russian authorities also said one person had died, while 2 others were injured in the said strike.
The Russia-installed governor of Crimea, Sergei Aksionov, confirmed the attack and reported that a fire incident occurred in the port area of the said town, but that the blaze was put out immediately.
