Ukraine admits it has lost cities in the east as Russia intensifies its offensive

Firefighters are working to put out a fire in a shopping area following a rocket attack in the Saltivka region of Kharkiv, Ukraine, on April 26th. (Narciso Contreras / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images)

The Ukrainian armed forces have acknowledged the loss of several towns and villages in the eastern regions as Russia intensifies its ground offensive.

Heavy fighting is taking place on three fronts, with Russian forces being reinforced and supplied by bases in Russia, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military said on Wednesday.

Despite the loss of territory, Ukrainian authorities said that in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions alone, nine enemy attacks were repulsed with destroyed Russian equipment – including nine tanks and 11 artillery systems.

Ukrainian troops are essentially fighting in three directions to prevent Russian forces from capturing all areas of Donetsk and Luhansk, which has been declared a Kremlin target.

From the north, Russian forces attacked in the direction of Barkinovo, a town south of Izyum, and captured the village of Zavodi, which has been disputed for several days, the Ukrainian military said.

The Ukrainians also acknowledged that the Russians had taken over the outskirts of the village of Velika Komishuva in the same area.

From the east, Russian forces took control of the town of Zarichne and began attacking nearby Yampil.

The spokesman said Russian offensive operations were also focused on the Severodonetsk, Popasna and Kurakhov regions. Russian troops have also taken control of the village of Novotoshkovske and are trying to advance further west.

In the south, Russian forces are trying to consolidate a land bridge to Crimea and occupy Ukraine’s coastal areas.

The Southern Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said Russian forces were regrouping and conducting air reconnaissance and trying to push north toward the town of Krivoy Rog and the Zaporozhye region.

He also accused the Russians, who occupied the Kherson region, of further “filtering” civilians in two areas.

The reported damage includes energy infrastructure in the city of Zelenodolsk and a severe fire in Dnepropetrovsk.

“Ukraine’s armed forces are showing courage and conducting successful operations,” said the head of the city’s military administration in Krivoy Rog.

He added that Russian prisoners had been taken.