Fierce clashes erupt over key Donetsk town amid Russia-Ukraine struggle for control

Fierce clashes have erupted as Russian and Ukrainian forces vie for control of the strategic Donetsk city of Krasnoarmeysk, also known as Pokrovsk.

On Monday, Russia's Defense Ministry announced its Battlegroup "Center" struck Ukrainian positions in Krasnoarmeysk and other key Donetsk locations. Footage released showed rocket artillery aimed at Ukrainian strongholds to support advancing assault units and ambush operations against Ukrainian drones.

At the same time, Ukraine's General Staff reported Russian forces launched 35 attacks in the Pokrovsk region, deploying assault units to breach front-line defenses. Ukraine responded with reinforcements and strategies to locate and dismantle Russian assault units.

Krasnoarmeysk, with a pre-conflict population of approximately 61,000, is a coal-mining hub and logistical center. Though its significance as a military supply base has diminished, analysts warn its fall could open pathways for Russian advances.

In late July, Russia's state-owned agency Tass, citing national security sources, revealed that fighting had escalated on the southern and southwestern outskirts of Krasnoarmeysk. In contrast, Ukrainian outlets, quoting military updates, refuted claims of encirclement, asserting that Pokrovsk remained under their control.

Fierce clashes erupt over key Donetsk town amid Russia-Ukraine struggle for control

Fierce clashes erupt over key Donetsk town amid Russia-Ukraine struggle for control

The United States' threats to acquire Greenland have met strong opposition among locals on the island, and some Greenlandic residents described the U.S. attempt as utterly ridiculous.

"I don't like it at all. I think it is preposterous. We are free people, and we don't wish to become a part of the United States. So I think it's a very bad proposal," said Greenlandic writer Kelly Berthelsen.

"I think they are lying. They don't want to make us a state. Because I think they will make us a smaller area that doesn't have the same status as a state," said Alibak Hard, a flight coordinator at a Greenland-based helicopter company.

Greenland has a self-governing government within the Kingdom of Denmark, with Copenhagen retaining authority over its defense and foreign policies. The United States maintains a military base on the island.

Since returning to the White House in 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed a strong desire to "obtain" Greenland by any means. On Friday, he even threatened to impose tariffs on countries that do not support his Greenland plan.

On January 12, Randy Fine, a Republican congressman from Florida, proposed a bill authorizing Trump to take all necessary measures to annex Greenland and eventually make it "officially a state of the United States."

Locals strongly oppose U.S. threats to seize Greenland