Ukrainian military officials have officially announced the successful recapture of the southeastern village of Storozhov from Russian forces. This comes as part of their intensified counterstrike efforts in the ongoing conflict.
Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar confirmed the news in a Telegram post, stating that Ukraine’s flag was once again flying over Storozhov. In addition to Storozhov, Ukrainian troops have also regained control of three other villages in the eastern Donetsk region: Blahodatne, Makarivka, and Neskuchne.
In the northeastern region, Ukrainian forces successfully defended against Russian fighters and reclaimed control of the village of Blahodatne. The Ukrainian 68th Separate Hunting Brigade took to Facebook to share a video depicting soldiers raising the Ukrainian flag on a damaged structure within the village. During the operation, the assault team captured six Russian troops who were stationed in the area.
Myroslav Semeniuk, a spokesperson for the brigade, stated that despite continued shelling from the enemy, Ukrainian troops remain determined. Their next target is the village of Urozhayne, followed by further advances to the south.
On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the country had initiated counteroffensive and defensive actions, without providing detailed information about the scale and scope of the operation. Zelensky expressed confidence in the ongoing efforts, citing positive feedback from military commanders.
In contrast, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on June 5 that the Ukrainian counteroffensive had already begun but suggested that Ukrainian troops were suffering “significant losses.” The Russian Defense Ministry echoed these claims on Sunday, stating that Ukrainian attempts at offensive operations in the southern Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions had been unsuccessful.
Vladimir Rogov, an official appointed by Russia in the Zaporizhzhia region, acknowledged the ongoing uncertainty regarding control over the village of Blahodatne, as well as two other neighboring villages. However, Rogov confirmed that Russian fighters were compelled to leave the village of Neskuchne.