Ukraine claims recapture of 4th village in eastern Donetsk as counteroffensive operations roll on

By JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian military officials say their troops have retaken another southeastern village from Russian forces. It is among the first — small — successes in stepped-up counteroffensive operations against Moscow’s more than 15-month invasion of Ukraine. Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar wrote on Telegram that Ukraine’s flag was again flying over the village of Storozhov. A day earlier, Ukrainian officials said three other small villages clustered together south of the town of Velika Novosilke in eastern Donetsk region had been liberated. Despite their small size, capturing the villages is an incursion into the first line of Russian defenses and could allow Ukrainian forces to try a deeper thrust into occupied areas.