Russian troops in eastern Ukraine have captured the stronghold of Kurakhove after a monthslong battle, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed Monday, adding the wrecked town to the Kremlin’s list of conquests during the almost three-year war.

The Russian Defense Ministry described Kurakhove as a "fortified area" and "key logistics hub," while Ukraine's military reported ongoing combat there on Jan. 6. Read also: Kurakhove turns into a battlefield graveyard for Russian troops Russian forces are conducting assaults in Kurakhove and advancing toward Petropavlivka and Dachny,

Russian forces are advancing in the east, slowly but surely, and they are shrinking Ukraine’s partial hold of the border region of Kursk

In May 2023 at a CNN Town Hall meeting, Donald Trump, already well advanced in his campaign to become president of the United States again, said: “They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want to stop them dying.

The Russia-Ukraine war has been escalating for nearly three years, with no sign of a ceasefire on the horizon. Moscow continues to intensify its efforts to obliterate war-torn Ukraine, leaving the world deeply concerned.