Russian army claims another village in east Ukraine

Russia’s army claims to capture village in eastern Ukraine as Putin asserts dominance on entire frontline

Russia’s army on Tuesday (December 17, 2024) claimed to have captured another village in eastern Ukraine, a day after President Vladimir Putin said his troops had the upper hand across the entire frontline.

Russia’s defence ministry said it had “liberated” the village of Gannivka in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, around 10 km (six miles) south of the resource-rich hub of Kurakhove, which Moscow is also on the brink of capturing.

Mr. Putin told Russia’s military leadership on Monday (December 16, 2024) that the army had seized 189 settlements in Ukraine so far in 2024.

Moscow is pressing to gain full control of four Ukrainian regions it claims to have annexed – Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk and Zaporizhzhia.

Both sides are seeking to strengthen their position on the battlefield ahead of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who wants to end the conflict, coming to power in January.

Published - December 17, 2024 04:57 pm IST