Russian Forces Claim Control of Key Ukrainian Town

President Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude to the Russian military for taking control of Siversk in eastern Ukraine. This strategic town's capture reportedly aids Russia's goal of advancing toward Sloviansk, a major city still under Ukrainian control. Ukraine has not confirmed this claim.

President Vladimir Putin offered his congratulations to the Russian military on Thursday for allegedly gaining full control over the town of Siversk in eastern Ukraine. The area has been a strategic target for Moscow for some time, as commanders outlined in reports to the Russian leader.

Ukraine has yet to issue an official comment on Russia's battlefield claims, and Reuters has not been able to independently verify the capture of the town. Siversk, with its pre-war population exceeding 10,000, is regarded as a stepping stone for Russian forces aiming to seize Sloviansk, one of the last major Ukrainian strongholds in the Donetsk region.

The Russian commanders informed Putin that despite Ukrainian efforts to defend Siversk using trenches and fortifications, Russian forces succeeded by disrupting logistics and outflanking defensive lines. President Putin commended the military's success and efforts, declaring that their strategy effectively countered Ukrainian defenses and paved the way for future advances.