On Monday, photos showed that Ukrainian soldiers are in Sivatohirsk, in the Donetsk region. The leader of Moscow-controlled Donetsk separatists, Denis Pushilin, confirmed the fight for the city, which has an important Orthodox monastery. “Svyatohirsk, I say this in all honesty, is currently not fully controlled by us or the enemy,” he said in a video message. The information could not be verified initially.
Pushilin also confirmed a Ukrainian attack on Donetsk airport. The attackers were destroyed, he said, which also could not be verified. The first Ukrainian reports of the attack were released on Saturday. Since then, the front between separatists and the Ukrainian army has passed through the airport, which was destroyed in 2014. An attack there would be the first advance by Ukrainians into the territory of the so-called People’s Republic of Donetsk since Russia invaded the neighboring country on 24 December. February.