Russian forces advance in Donetsk, almost at Pokrovsk
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Russia's Defense Ministry announced on Saturday the capture of two additional villages in Ukraine: Shchebraki in the Zaporizhzhia region and Panteleimonivka in Donetsk.
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A serviceman of 3rd mechanized battalion, practices on the training ground at an undisclosed location in the east of Ukraine, Thursday, March 27, 2025 (Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade via AP)
Russian forces are engaged in heavy battles near the city of Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), while Ukrainian troops continue their counterattacks, DPR head Denis Pushilin told RIA Novosti on Saturday.
"The battles are underway in the vicinity of Krasnoarmeysk itself, already in the direction of [the village of] Kotlyne," Pushilin said.
He noted that Ukrainian forces are attempting to launch counterattacks in this direction, as well as near Dzerzhinsk.
Krasnoarmeysk serves as a key railway hub, linking Donetsk with the Dnepropetrovsk region and providing connections to Ukrainian-controlled cities in the northwest of the DPR.
Russia captures two more villages
Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry announced on Saturday the capture of two additional villages in Ukraine: Shchebraki in the Zaporizhzhia region and Panteleimonivka in Donetsk.
Amid Moscow’s continued offensive, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russian forces launched more than 170 drone attacks overnight, striking targets across the Dnipropetrovsk, Kiev, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Khmelnytskyi regions.
In Dnipro, an attack on a hotel complex killed four people and injured 21 others, including a pregnant woman, Zelensky said.
"Russia is making a mockery of peacekeeping efforts around the world. It is dragging out the war and sowing terror because it still feels no real pressure," the Ukrainian president added.
Ceasefire remains uncertain
For weeks, the United States has been attempting to broker a ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev, particularly regarding strikes in the Black Sea and on energy infrastructure. However, both sides have accused each other of undermining peace efforts.
As talks of a potential ceasefire continue, it is worth noting that Ukraine previously rejected a land ceasefire, saying it would allow Russian ground forces to "regroup and resume hostilities later", the advisor to the head of the Ukrainian President's Office stated.
Serhiy Leshchenko said that Ukraine is not averse to a ceasefire. However, any potential agreement must not provide Russia with any advantage.
He also seemingly responded to US President Donald Trump's questions regarding Kiev's plan to end the conflict, saying Ukraine proposed several potential deals and initiatives that include ceasing air and sea operations, as well as attacks on energy facilities.
However, he stressed that Ukraine refuses a land ceasefire to prevent Russia's forces from regrouping and resuming their ground operations at a later date.
"You want a ceasefire—we are ready. But not on land, where Putin can take a few months to heal the wounded, recruit infantry from North Korea, and restart this war," he said.
