Moscow says Richne, Ternuvate and Berestok are under its control

Russia’s Defence Ministry says its troops have seized the villages of Richne and Ternuvate in Ukraine’s Donetsk region and Berestok near the Donetsk-Kharkiv border. Ukrainian officials acknowledge heavy fighting but have not confirmed the losses, saying battles are ongoing and positions are fluid. The villages are small and largely depopulated, yet their capture gives Russia control of key roads and higher ground, allowing it to pressure nearby cities and disrupt Ukrainian supply lines amid ammunition shortages.

Battles grind on amid ammunition shortages and diplomatic deadlock

Analysts say the gains indicate Moscow aims to expand its buffer zone around Donetsk and take advantage of slowing Western aid to Kyiv. Ukraine’s commanders report rationing artillery shells as U.S. aid remains stalled in Congress and European allies fall short on promised ammunition deliveries. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reshuffled his military leadership and appealed for more air defences. Russia, meanwhile, is mobilizing more troops and increasing defence spending; Western intelligence reports suggest it is procuring drones and artillery from Iran and North Korea. Civilian casualties are mounting as both sides trade accusations of shelling towns, and millions of Ukrainians remain displaced with limited access to utilities. Diplomats warn the conflict is sliding into a protracted war of attrition, and each small territorial gain lets Moscow claim momentum while underscoring Ukraine’s need for timely foreign support.