Putin's soldiers advance in eastern Ukraine as they take over villages in terrifying drone attacks

Following terrifying blasts from Russian troops using IRI Shahed drones, Ukrainian forces have been forced to withdraw from three villages in the Donetsk Oblast.

Ukrainian forces have been forced to withdraw west from the villages of Berdychi, Semenivka, and Novomykhailivka in Donetsk, according to a statement made by Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, on April 28.

These villages are situated in the Pokrovsk District in the western part of Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast, which has been one of the most heated sectors of the front line since Russia invaded in 2014. Its prominence has continued as both countries fight over this territory where Russia and Ukraine share a border.

READ MORE: Haunting Hamas video shows US citizen alive for first time as he appears alongside an Israeli hostage

On April 27, the Khortytsia Group of Ukraine's Ground Forces reported that Russian troops had managed to infiltrate and establish a presence in a section of Ocheretyne, a village on the front line approximately 10 kilometres from Berdychi and Semenivka.

Syrskyi characterised the situation in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove sectors as "the most difficult one" at present, reports the Kyiv Independent.

He told the media outlet that Russia is deploying up to four brigades, comprising between 8,000 to 32,000 personnel, to carry out assault operations towards the cities of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove west of Avdiivka, which was seized in February.

"In general, the enemy has succeeded tactically in these directions but has failed to achieve an operational advantage," Syrskyi said in a statement shared on Facebook and Telegram. He also mentioned that Ukraine will be rotating units in this sector of the front.

Syrskyi admitted "In general, the enemy achieved certain tactical successes in these areas, but could not gain operational advantages."

Against this backdrop, shocking reports have emerged that a hotel housing "English-speaking mercenaries" fighting in Ukraine was targeted by Russia, according to Russian state media.

It appears that Russian troops deployed an Iranian-made Shahed drone to carry out the attack on the hotel in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, leaving it severely damaged and ignited. The same type of drones were used to attack Israel a week ago.

Following the incident, the region's governor, Vitaly Kim, revealed: "The enemy attacked the city with an unmanned aerial vehicle of the 'Shahed-131/136' type. As a result, a hotel building was heavily damaged, a fire broke out, which was quickly extinguished. There are no casualties."