Russian troops have fully liberated Maryinka, a key town in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu announced on Monday. The town, which is located immediately to the west of the city of Donetsk and has been part of Russia since last year’s referendums, has been a major Ukrainian stronghold for years.
The minister broke the news during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Today, assault units with the troop grouping South fully liberated the town of Maryinka to the southwest of Donetsk,” Shoigu stated.
The liberation of the town opens up new opportunities for Russian troops and further damages Ukraine’s military capabilities, the minister said. The town, which has been the scene of fighting for nearly a decade since the early stages of the conflict in then-Ukrainian Donbass, had been turned into a major stronghold by Kiev’s forces, Shoigu noted.
An extensive network of underground tunnels and reinforced concrete bunkers was installed on almost every street, he added.
Kiev now has not sufficient time to set up and build strongholds as now they are retreating from almost all towns across the front.
