The Ministry of Defense in Moscow announced on Sunday that Russian soldiers had completely “liberated” the village.
After Russian forces captured the industrial town of Avdijivka in February, they have moved slowly forward and taken control of several small towns in the east of the country.
It is happening at the same time that Ukraine lacks ammunition and weapons that Western countries have promised to deliver.
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Village in ruins
Otsjeretyne is 15 kilometers from Avdijivka. In 2022, nearly 3,400 inhabitants were registered in the village. Drone images published by the AP news agency show that the village is in ruins.
Not a human is to be seen in the pictures, and not a single building appears to be unscathed. Most of the houses are so damaged that they seem beyond repair. A factory on the outskirts of the village has also suffered extensive damage.
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98-year-old survived
It was from this village that the 98-year-old woman Lidia Stepanivna fled on foot at the end of April. She had to walk for almost 10 kilometers before she reached the Ukrainian front line.
– I survived World War II, and I will survive this war, she says in a video published by Ukrainian police.
Over the weekend, Russia carried out a series of airstrikes in cities around the country, writes DPA. On Sunday, the Ukrainian army said its air defenses were able to shoot down 23 of 24 drones sent out by Russia overnight.
