Pro-Russian Telegram channels are alleging that Russian forces captured Pervomaiske on April 9, publishing a video of a Russian flag being installed on the ruins of a village home to over 2,000 people before the start of the full-scale war.
Pervomaiske is located just outside Avdiivka, captured by Russia on Feb. 17, suggesting Russia is continuing its advance through surrounding villages.
A Ukrainian OSINT project, Deep State, also alleged that Russian troops were able to break through the defenses of Ukraine's 59th Infantry Battalion and occupy the village.
Pervomaiske is located 10 km south of Avdiivka.
Over the last year, the region became the main battleground of the ongoing war. Russian troops steadily advance through the region's villages as Ukraine faces a severe ammunition shortage while U.S. aid continues to be stalled in Congress.
The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces and the Russian Defense Ministry have not yet commented on the situation in Pervomaiske.
In March, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi announced that Russian forces were concentrating their main efforts on making a breakthrough near Avdiivka.
Ukrainian troops defending this area were reportedly facing "intense artillery fire, the active use of FPV (first-person-view) drones," "periodic" air strikes, and "daily" assaults from armored vehicles and assault troops.
As U.S. aid continues to be stalled in Congress, Kyiv’s forces continue to face an increasingly perilous situation.
Asami Terajima
