Russia seizes more ground in Ukraine’s east as Kyiv’s forces await supplies

It will take weeks for US military aid to reach Ukraine, but NATO chief says it’s not too late for Kyiv to ‘prevail’.

Russian forces committed a division to take several more villages in Ukraine’s east during the past week, as Ukraine’s European allies frantically increased their weapons pledges and the full effect of long-delayed US military aid became apparent.

Most of the Russian tactical gains came west of Avdiivka, which fell on February 17, and where the Russians have maintained their momentum.

Russian forces advanced into the northern reaches of the village of Semenivka last Wednesday, overran Novobakhmutivka five kilometres (3.1 miles) to the north and attacked neighbouring Solovyove. By Friday, Semenivka and Solovyove, too, had fallen. Russian forces on Saturday launched a massive assault on Ocheretyne, two kilometres further north, and had reached its western outskirts by Monday.

Lieutenant Colonel Nazar Voloshyn, spokesman for Ukraine’s Khortytsia group defending this area, said Russia had committed four brigades to the offensive, about 20,000 men, and that Ukrainian reserves had been sent in to bolster defences. Fierce battles for Ocheretyne continued on Tuesday, but the Russian advance had already created a five-kilometre-deep salient into Ukrainian free territory.

The Telegraph, a British newspaper, reported that Russia had attacked during a brigade-level rotation on the front lines.