Ukraine dismisses claims of Russian takeover in crucial town near Donetsk

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has claimed that Russian troops have successfully taken control of the key town of Mariinka in eastern Ukraine. However, this claim has been immediately denied by Ukrainian officials in Kyiv. Mariinka, which is located just outside Donetsk, a city under Russian control, is seen as a crucial entry point to Donetsk. The town has suffered extensive destruction and has been used by Ukraine as a defensive barrier since 2014 when Russia-backed fighters seized parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine. During a televised meeting with President Vladimir Putin, Minister Shoigu informed him that the assault units had managed to capture Mariinka, describing it as a heavily fortified area. He stated that the Ukrainian armed forces had established a well-protected structure with underground passages, firing points, and complex communication systems. The Russian Defence Minister credited the successful capture to the decisive actions of Russian servicemen, much to the satisfaction of President Putin, who praised the reported capture as a "success". Putin emphasized that Russian forces had now pushed Ukrainian troops further away from Donetsk, which had been frequently targeted by Ukrainian artillery from Mariinka. In response to the Russian claims, the Ukrainian military denied that Mariinka had been fully seized. Ukrainian military spokesman Oleksandr Shtupun clarified that Ukrainian soldiers were currently within the administrative borders of Mariinka. Military bloggers also reported that Ukrainian troops were still holding out in a small area of western Mariinka. This conflicting information highlights the lack of independently verified evidence regarding the situation on the ground. Recent weeks have seen an escalation of attacks by Russian forces in various key areas along the extensive battlefront spanning over 1,200km (745 miles). Alongside Mariinka, Russian troops have been attempting to surround Avdiivka, another strategically important town near Donetsk. In response, Ukrainian forces are striving to expand their control on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine. Ukraine is facing challenges in mobilizing its military forces due to a shortage of ammunition and setbacks in receiving aid from its key allies in the United States and the European Union. President Volodymyr Zelensky recently announced plans to mobilize up to 500,000 additional personnel. With Ukraine's counter-offensive slowing down as winter begins, there are concerns that the Russian forces may have a significant advantage in terms of firepower.