Ukraine reports advances

Battle persists for village near Donetsk airport as Ukraine reports advances in east

From CNN’s Olga Voitovych

Unofficial pro-Russian sources in Donetsk region are contesting Ukrainian claims that they have established a foothold in a village north of the eastern city Donetsk.

Donbas Operatsiya ZOV, an unofficial Telegram channel, said the Ukrainians had taken a quarry near the village and positions north of it.

"They are also trying to get through in small groups. That's all. There are no fights in Opytne."

The channel added: “Is it bad that we screwed up the quarry? Yes, it's not good. The guys from the 1st Sloviansk Brigade are on their way to take it back.”

The comments came after Ukraine’s deputy defense minister Hanna Maliar claimed Monday that Ukrainian units had managed to take part of Optyne village, north of Donetsk airport.

“It is currently unknown what is happening in the village. We have information that there are still civilians there,” a local Ukrainian official, Vitalii Barabash, told Radio Liberty. 

Barabash said Ukrainian soldiers had entered the village, but added that “the fighting is still ongoing. The enemy is constantly putting pressure, the enemy is constantly trying to recapture lost ground.”

He said that “at the beginning of the full-scale war, 44 people stayed in Opytne. Now there are 5-6, and we have no contact with them.”