Russia’s Defence Ministry announced on Saturday that its forces had seized the village of Kalynove in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. Kalynove, located southeast of the critical logistics hub Pokrovsk, is the latest territory claimed by Russian forces amid their continued advance in the industrial Donbas region. The village had a population of about 200, according to Ukraine’s 2001 census. The claim has not been independently verified.
In another development, Russian forces reported taking control of the village of Zhuravka in the same region on Friday, but these reports also remain unverified.
Meanwhile, grief engulfed the western Ukrainian city of Lviv as hundreds of residents gathered to mourn four family members killed in a Russian strike earlier this week. Yevheniia Bazylevych, 43, and her three daughters, Yaryna, 21, Dariia, 18, and Emiliia, 7, were among seven civilians killed when Russian drone and missile attacks hit a residential area. More than 50 people were wounded in the assault.
As the war intensifies, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy renewed his plea for Western nations to supply long-range weapons during a summit at Ramstein airbase in Germany. Zelenskiy urged the West to lift restrictions on using these weapons to target airfields inside Russia, arguing that deeper strikes are essential for Ukraine’s success. However, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin pushed back on this notion, saying, “There’s no one capability that will in and of itself be decisive in this campaign.” He emphasized continued strong support for Ukraine but noted that Russia had already moved key military assets out of range of US-supplied Atacms missiles.
Despite these challenges, the US announced an additional $250 million in military aid to Ukraine, while Germany pledged more self-propelled howitzers, and Canada committed to sending surplus small air-to-surface rockets and warheads.
Russian missile strikes also targeted the city of Pavlograd in central-eastern Ukraine, killing one person and wounding 64 others, including children. The attack, which involved five Iskander ballistic missiles, damaged multiple residential buildings and commercial properties. Fires broke out across the city, exacerbating the destruction.
In a separate incident, a Russian airstrike on the village of Krasnopillia in the northern Sumy region killed a 66-year-old woman in her home and injured four others. The escalation of air attacks highlights the continuing devastation across Ukraine, with both military and civilian areas suffering extensive damage.
Key Points
Russian Forces Capture Village in Donetsk: Russia’s Defence Ministry claims its forces have taken the village of Kalynove in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, though the report remains unverified.
- Grief in Lviv: Hundreds in Lviv mourned the deaths of Yevheniia Bazylevych and her three daughters, killed in a Russian strike that targeted a residential area, part of a broader attack that left seven dead and more than 50 injured.
- Zelenskiy Calls for Long-Range Weapons: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged Western nations to supply long-range missiles and lift restrictions on targeting Russian airfields, but the US cautioned against expecting any single capability to be decisive in the war.
- New Military Aid for Ukraine: The US announced $250 million in additional military aid, while Germany and Canada also pledged further support, including howitzers and surplus rockets.
- Russian Strikes on Pavlograd: A Russian missile attack on Pavlograd killed one person, injured 64, and caused significant damage to residential and commercial properties, sparking multiple fires.
- Airstrike on Sumy: In northern Ukraine’s Sumy region, a Russian airstrike on the village of Krasnopillia killed a 66-year-old woman and wounded four others, underscoring the continued devastation in civilian areas.
