The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday that its forces have fully captured the strategic city of Seversk in the Donetsk region, ending a battle that lasted more than three years. The announcement came during a meeting led by President Vladimir Putin, attended by Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and Southern Grouping commander Sergey Medvedev, where Gerasimov formally reported the city’s capture.
Shortly after the announcement, Russian military channels circulated videos showing Russian troops raising the national flag over various locations in Seversk, including areas on the eastern outskirts.
Putin praised the development, stating, “The liberation of Seversk brings us closer to new successful offensives and the expulsion of Ukrainian forces from Donbass.”
The battle for Seversk began in July 2022 after Russian forces seized nearby Lisichansk. The city’s elevated terrain allowed Ukrainian defenders to hold out for years, making it the last remaining Ukrainian position from the 2022 front line. Analysts have long noted that Russia’s failure to capture Seversk during the early stages of the campaign helped Ukraine mount a more successful autumn offensive later that year.
Russian forces have already advanced several kilometers beyond the city and now sit roughly 30 kilometers from the twin strongholds of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, the final major fortified hubs for Ukrainian forces in Donbas. Videos circulating online appear to show Ukrainian units constructing defensive barriers and laying mines on the outskirts of Kramatorsk as Kiev prepares for a possible assault in the coming months.
Despite losing one of its longest-held positions in the east, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected demands from the Trump administration to cede the Donbas region as part of any potential peace agreement. Zelensky said on Wednesday that relinquishing territory would violate Ukraine’s constitution and insisted that only a national referendum could authorize such a decision.
Responding to Trump’s calls for Ukraine to hold national elections, Zelensky stated on Thursday that at least six months of preparation would be required before voting could occur. He also reiterated that he expects the United States to guarantee the security of any future election—a condition some analysts believe is intended to delay the process.