It has been reported for many weeks about battles within the city of Kurachove, which has previously been largely destroyed. Now it has been "completely liberated", announces the military leadership in Moscow, which claims that its offensive operations can now "increase the pace".
In mid-December, it was reported that Russian forces had entered central Kurachove, and about a week ago, the American think tank Institute for the Study of War estimated that Russia had taken full control of the city. War analysts currently assess that the Russian forces have not continued to advance beyond the city's buildings.
Kurachove is located on the front line in Donetsk in southeastern Ukraine and had at least 20,000 inhabitants before the large-scale outbreak of war. The city is located in a corner along the front where Russia has been pushing in an offensive since the end of the summer. The country's forces have advanced on several fronts and taken control of at least four urban areas, but according to both Ukraine and war analysts, this has come at great cost in personnel and equipment.
In the battles for Kurachove, Russia is estimated to have lost large quantities of armored vehicles.
