The Latest Breaking News from Donetsk Region

DONETSK REGION, Ukraine: On Ukraine's eastern front, soldiers welcomed a controversial US decision to send cluster munitions to Kyiv that will give them an "advantage on the battlefield".

Moscow said on Monday it had thwarted a major offensive against its forces in eastern Ukraine, although it was unclear whether the attack formed the beginning of Ukraine's long-anticipated counteroffensive.

Denis Pushilin, head of the Russia-backed separatist Donetsk region of Ukraine, called on his fellow separatist leader of Luhansk province on Monday to combine efforts aimed at preparing a referendum on joining Russia.

North Korea and the Russian-backed separatist Donetsk region of Ukraine will develop "equally beneficial bilateral cooperation", Donetsk leader Denis Pushilin said in a letter to Kim Jong Un, North Korean state media reported on Wednesday.

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Forces of the Russian-backed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics are moving towards the Donetsk region after Russian forces took full control of Luhansk region last week, the Russian state news agency TASS cited Donetsk People's Republic leader Denis Pushilin as saying on Tuesday.

Ukraine's embattled eastern region of Donetsk will not fall quickly to Russia's assault, but it needs the world to supply more weapons to keep the offensive at bay, its governor told Reuters on Friday.

The last Ukrainian forces holed up in Mariupol's smashed Azovstal steelworks surrendered on Friday, Russia's defense ministry said, ending the most destructive siege of the war as Moscow fought to cement control over the Donbas region.

Civilians were evacuated on Sunday from the bunkers of Mariupol's Azovstal steel works after the United Nations and the International Red Cross led a deal to ease the ordeal of the most destructive siege of the war in Ukraine.