Russian attack kills four in Ukraine’s Sloviansk as both sides claim gains | Russia-Ukraine war News
Ukrainian and Russian Forces Report Victories Amid Ongoing Conflict
Ukrainian and Russian officials have announced battlefield successes as Russian airstrikes continue across Ukraine. On Tuesday, regional authorities reported that at least four people were killed during Russian attacks on the eastern town of Sloviansk.
Vadym Filashkin, the governor of Sloviansk, confirmed the fatalities and reported that 16 others were injured in the strikes, which involved the dropping of three guided bombs on the city. A 14-year-old girl was among those wounded. Moscow had not immediately commented on the incident.
In addition to the Sloviansk attacks, Ukraine’s emergency services reported overnight drone strikes in three other Ukrainian cities, injuring at least 17 individuals, including two children. Ukraine’s air force claimed to have shot down 122 out of 137 drones launched by Russia during the night.
Warring Parties Claim Advances
In a recent interview, Major-General Oleksandr Komarenko stated that Ukrainian forces have successfully regained control of nearly all territory in the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk industrial region during a counteroffensive, pushing Russian troops out of more than 400 square kilometers (150 square miles). He characterized the overall situation on the front lines as challenging but manageable, with intense fighting concentrated near Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine and Oleksandrivka in the south.
There has been no independent verification of Komarenko’s account of the military dynamics. The Institute for the Study of War, a think tank based in Washington, D.C., indicated on Monday that recent Ukrainian counterattacks could disrupt Russia’s planned offensive campaign.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Russian forces have expanded their control in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, a key objective of the invasion. According to Putin, Ukraine has reduced control over the area from approximately 25 percent six months ago to between 15 and 17 percent currently.
In Russia, authorities reported that a Ukrainian missile strike in Bryansk city resulted in at least six civilian fatalities and 37 injuries. Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of Bryansk, confirmed that those injured were transported to the Bryansk Regional Hospital. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the strike targeted a Russian missile production facility.
The United Nations has stated that the deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children since the onset of the Russian invasion in 2022 constitute “crimes against humanity.” The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for President Putin and five other Russian officials in 2023 concerning the alleged illegal deportations, which Moscow denies, asserting that evacuations are voluntary.
Upcoming Trilateral Talks
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff indicated on Tuesday that the next round of trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and the United States is expected to take place “sometime next week.” The first trilateral talks occurred in January in the United Arab Emirates, followed by a second meeting in February in Geneva. Previous talks between Russia and Ukraine also took place in Turkiye last year, but core issues, including territorial control, remain unresolved.
Moscow has maintained that it will only agree to a deal permitting it to keep seized territories, while Ukraine insists that any agreement must involve the return of its land. Following discussions with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday, President Zelenskyy indicated that Turkiye is prepared to host the next round of negotiations.
