On February 7, Russia announced that its army had taken control of the city of Toretsk in eastern Ukraine, marking the biggest victory for Moscow's forces in recent months.
Control of the Eastern Industrial Center
The city of Toretsk, an industrial hub in eastern Ukraine, has been in Russia's sights for months, as control of the area would allow Moscow to cut off key supply chains to the Kyiv government's military.
"As a result of an active offensive operation, Russia has taken control of the city of Dzerzhinsk (Russian name for Toretsk)," TASS quoted the Russian Defense Ministry as saying.
Russia releases images of Ukrainian tanks destroyed in latest attack in Kursk
The city had a population of about 30,000 before Russia launched its special military operation. However, by July last year, the urban population had been reduced by 90% due to the fighting.
Just before the Russian announcement, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said the city was left in ruins.
Earlier on February 7, the Russian Defense Ministry announced control of two small villages, Druzhba and Krymskoye, northeast of Toretsk.
The Russian Defense Ministry also calculated that Ukraine lost more than 26,000 soldiers in 5 months of fighting in Toretsk.
Russia claims control of key Ukrainian city
Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense
TASS also quoted comments from Russian security agencies that victory in Toretsk would reduce the pressure of artillery fire from Ukraine towards the city of Horlivka and quickly start the battle for Kostiantynivka.
The Kyiv government has not commented on the information related to the fate of the city of Toretsk.
However, Ukrainian forces claimed to have shot down a Russian guided bomb near the southern frontline city of Zaporizhzhia on February 7.
Russia confirmed on February 7 that it had repelled a new attack by Ukrainian forces in Kursk.
Ukraine ready to open humanitarian corridor on Russian border
Meanwhile, Russia announced that it had just repelled an attack by the Ukrainian army in the Kursk region on the Russian border.
For its part, Ukraine said it was ready to open a humanitarian corridor for hundreds of Russian civilians living in the border area to return to the Moscow-controlled area, according to Reuters.
It is estimated that more than 1,500 civilians remain in the Kursk region after Ukraine launched a surprise cross-border attack and took control of part of the region last August.
"We are ready to open a humanitarian corridor from the Kursk region deep into Russian territory at the official request of the Russian Federation," AFP quoted information from the Office of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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However, Kyiv believes that Russia does not need such a humanitarian corridor, because Ukraine has not yet received any official request from Moscow.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin said it was still doing everything possible to support people in the conflict zone, but refused to comment publicly on the idea of a humanitarian corridor.
Russia rejects temporary ceasefire agreement
TASS on February 7 quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that Moscow and Washington have not yet begun discussing the possibility of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump.
On the same day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova affirmed that Moscow will not agree to a temporary ceasefire agreement with Ukraine.
Instead, the Moscow government is looking for a long-term solution that will end the ongoing crisis.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will lead a delegation to the Munich Security Conference on February 14-16.
In another development, Reuters on February 7 quoted Mr. Mark Rutte, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), saying that defense spending by European members and Canada in 2024 would be 20% higher than a year earlier, increasing to 485 billion USD if the US is not included.
If including the US, this number is 700 billion USD.
The information was released ahead of the Munich Security Conference 2025, held in Germany from February 14-16, when the rest of NATO will see increased US pressure, requiring members to increase military spending.
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NATO estimates that by the end of last year, 23 of its 32 members met the requirement to spend 2% of GDP on defense.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will lead the Kyiv delegation at the conference, and the leader will present Ukraine's vision for a lasting and sustainable peace.
Ukraine is also preparing to receive the US President's Special Envoy for Russia and Ukraine, Mr. Keith Kellogg, on February 20, after the conference.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chien-su-ukraine-1080-nga-thong-bao-thang-loi-lon-nhat-sau-vai-thang-185250207204745774.htm
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