Russia said yesterday that it had seized control of Kurakhove, a town in the southern Donbas region of Ukraine, closing in on its forces there.
Ukrainian forces made their own advance with a renewed push into the Kursk region of southern Russia. Combat footage, located by military analysts, indicated that Ukraine was trying to break through Russian defenses in at least three directions, its first significant attempt to advance in the region since Ukraine’s initial incursion in August.
Taking Kurakhove and the surrounding towns could allow Russia to broaden its assault on the city of Pokrovsk, a focal point of the war in recent months, military analysts said. Russia is trying to encircle the city, hoping to avoid brutal and prolonged urban combat.
The dueling offensives underscored how both the Kremlin and Kyiv are seeking to demonstrate strength, as Donald Trump prepares to take office, experts said. Trump has vowed to bring the war to a quick end but has not said how.
