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Putin confirmed on Monday, December 25 that taking Maarinka would enable Russian troops to be able to operate in a wider area
Russia claimed to have fully controlled the town of Marinka in eastern Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin hailed it as a “success” that would mean less shelling on the nearby Russian-held city of Donetsk.
In a meeting shown on state television, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told Putin that “our [Russia’s] assault units have today completely liberated the settlement of Maryinka”.
The Russian leader said that control of the town would allow the Russian forces to move enemy combat units away from Donetsk.
In a video of the exchange between him and Shoigu posted online by a Kremlin journalist, Putin said: “Our troops (now) have the opportunity to reach a wider operational area.”
The control over Maryinka would allow Russian soldiers to “move further in this direction” and “make it possible to protect Donetsk more effectively from strikes” from Ukrainian forces, Shoigu said.
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