Ukrainian troops have liberated three front-line villages in Donetsk Oblast from occupying Russian forces, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi announced on Aug. 24, Ukraine's Independence Day.
Syrskyi's report followed a working visit to combat zones in eastern Ukraine, where Russia has steadily gained ground in recent months, particularly near the embattled logistics hub of Pokrovsk.
Ukrainian forces "successfully counterattacked and cleared" the villages of Zelenyi Hai, Mykhailivka, and Volodymyrivka, Syrskyi said in a social media post published by Ukraine's General Staff.
"(D)efending Ukrainian independence and the Ukrainian flag is not just empty words, but a daily risk and a daily feat," Syrskyi said.
Zelenyi Hai in Volnovakha district is located approximately 90 to 100 kilometers (about 56 to 62 miles) southwest of the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk.
The military first reported the regaining control of the village on Aug. 23.
The Kremlin's plan for peace reportedly involves Ukraine withdrawing all its forces from Donetsk Oblast, ceding the entire region to Russia in exchange for frozen battle lines on the other sectors of the front. »