Russia claims it took control of Ukraine's Voskhod settlement

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia announced on Thursday that it has taken control of the Ukrainian settlement of Voskhod in the Donetsk region.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the settlement was taken by the Russian group of forces Center.

Russian air defense systems shot down 24 Ukrainian drones and five HIMARS rockets, it added.

"In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 627 aircraft, 277 helicopters, 27,520 unmanned aerial vehicles, 545 anti-aircraft missile systems, 16,551 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,374 multiple rocket launchers, 11,718 field artillery and mortars, 23,551 special military vehicles have been destroyed," it said.

In a separate statement, the governor of the Russian Belgorod region said a civilian was killed and three others injured in a Ukrainian drone attack on the settlement of Rzhevka.

Ukraine has yet to comment on Russia's claims.

Independent verification of claims is challenging due to the ongoing conflict.