Russia Ukraine Donetsk fighting intensifies as Moscow claims new villages while South Africa’s Ramaphosa calls for urgent peace summit talks

Russia Ukraine Donetsk tensions deepened on Saturday as Moscow announced the capture of two more villages, heightening the pressure on Ukrainian defenses.

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Russia’s defence ministry said its troops had seized Sredneye and Kleban-Byk, bringing them closer to Kostiantynivka, a fortified town guarding access to Kramatorsk, a critical Ukrainian logistics hub.

On Friday, Moscow had also claimed three other villages in the Donetsk region, which it annexed in 2022.

Ukraine, however, pushed back with its own gains, saying its forces had halted Russia’s advance and recaptured the village of Zeleny Gai, a position Moscow had held since July.

The grinding, metre-by-metre fighting underscores the costly nature of the Donetsk campaign, where neither side has achieved a decisive breakthrough.

As the battlefield worsens, diplomatic efforts remain stalled. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa joined calls for a Russia-Ukraine summit during talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ramaphosa, who also leads the G20, said urgent trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States were vital to signal commitment to peace.

He has spoken with Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and plans further outreach with European leaders.

Despite Ramaphosa’s appeal, Moscow remains reluctant. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said no such meeting is planned, while Zelensky accused Russia of dragging out the war.