Russia claims capture of 3 settlements in Ukraine

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) — Russia's Defense Ministry claimed Wednesday that three settlements had been captured by Russian forces across eastern Ukraine.

According to a statement by the ministry, the Russian military's Sever (North) forces took control of Hlyboka and Lukiantsi in the northeastern Kharkiv region, while the Dnepr group secured Robotyne in the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia.

Meanwhile, the Zapad (West), Vostok (East), and Yug (South) groups consolidated their positions along the frontline, it added.

The statement also said that Russian forces had successfully defended against attempts by Ukrainian troops to launch counteroffensives.

In the course of the clashes, a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet, 40 drones, four US-made HARM and 12 ATCMS missiles, as well as 45 HIMARS rockets were intercepted and neutralized, it said.

"In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 597 aircraft, 274 helicopters, 24,086 unmanned aerial vehicles, 521 anti-aircraft missile systems, 16,035 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,299 multiple rocket launchers, 9,595 field artillery and mortars, as well as 21,728 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed," it said.

Russia and Ukraine have been at war since February 2022.