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Ukraine denies claims Chechen special forces control Popasna. PHOTO/Reuters
In mid-April, Russian troops launched a new offensive across much of the eastern flank of Ukraine. Some of the most intense attacks and shootings took place recently around Popasna in the Luhansk region.
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“Chechen special forces fighters have taken control of most of Popasna,” Kadyrov, who often describes himself as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “foot soldier,” wrote in a post on the messaging app Telegram.
“Main streets and downtown districts have been completely cleared,” he continued. This report could not be independently verified by Reuters.
Kadyrov has frequently posted reports and Telegram videos of Chechen soldiers allegedly participating in activities in Ukraine, but there has been no confirmation how many have actually been deployed and whether they have participated in the fighting.
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There was no immediate response from Ukraine. But on Saturday (7/5/2022) evening, Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, said fierce fighting for the city was continuing.
“The battle for Popasna is ongoing,” Arestovych said in a video on social media. “Russian propagandists are happy to report that they have taken him, but it’s not like that. This is their 117th ‘arrest of Popasna’ claim just this week,” he continued.
Serhiy Gaidai, the governor of the Luhansk region, said earlier on Saturday that Ukrainian forces were still in control of the area. “The situation is very difficult, but under control,” Gaidai said in a Telegram video post.
He added that Chechen troops did not take part in the fighting, but looted and recorded videos.
(esn)
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