Opytne, Pokrovsk Raion, Donetsk Oblast
History
Starting mid-April 2014 pro-Russian separatists captured several towns and cities across in Donetsk and Luhansk Districts; since 6 November 2014 Opytne was fully under Ukrainian control. The village became one of the frontlines of the War in Donbass. On 24 November 2016 one Ukrainian serviceman was killed by a sniper in the village. In late 2019 less than 50 people lived in Opytne, while almost all of the village had been damaged or destroyed. As of November 2021, only 38 remain.
On November 11, 2022 as a result of battles with the 1st Semyonovsky Rifle Regiment, the 1st Slavyansk Brigade and the Sparta Battalion, the Armed Forces of Ukraine were pushed out of the village.
On September 8, 2023 during the Ukrainian counteroffensive, when the Russian forced were concentrating their efforts to the north of the Avdiivka in the Kamianka front, Ukrainian 59th Motorized Brigade with 36th Marine Brigade's 501st Marine Battalion conducted a coordinated assault operation at Opytne. They entered the village from north, cleared Russian positions, but they were later pushed back to their original positions. Russian troops are still in control of the village. Five to six people still may live in the village.
Between January 29th and February 14th, 2024, Russian forces captured the village during the later days of the Battle of Avdiivka.
References
- ^ Ragozin, Leonid (16 April 2014). "Vladimir Putin is Accidentally Bringing Eastern and Western Ukraine Together". The New Republic.
- ^ "Donbass defenders put WWII tank back into service".
- ^ "Українські військові звільнили Опитне від терористів (Відео)". 24 Канал.
- ^ "Новини | Українська правда".
- ^ "One Ukrainian soldier killed in combat yesterday, – ATO spokesman". CENSOR.NET. 25 November 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
- ^ "Fragments of Soviet Life from the Donbas".
- ^ "In Pictures: Europe's forgotten war grinds on". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
- ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, NOVEMBER 11". www.understandingwar.org. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
- ^ "Силы обороны заняли часть Опытного в Донецкой области" (in Ukrainian). rbc.ua. 10 September 2023.
- ^ "ВСУ зашли в Опытное, но говорить о полном контроле еще рано, - глава Авдеевской ГВА" (in Ukrainian). unian.net. 11 September 2023.
- ^ "Day of news on live map - February, 14 2024 - Ukraine Interactive map - Ukraine Latest news on live map - liveuamap.com". Ukraine Interactive map - Ukraine Latest news on live map - liveuamap.com. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ^ "DeepStateMAP | Мапа війни в Україні". DeepStateMap (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 10 September 2024.
External links
Media coverage
- Ukraine: An evening on the front line with troops in Donetsk (video 01:59), BBC World News, 29 July 2015.
- Holding the Line for Another DNR Assault: Ukraine's Failed Ceasefire (Part 2) (video 14:05), Vice News, 30 July 2015