Russia claims its forces took control of 2 Ukrainian settlements

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Monday that its forces have captured two Ukrainian settlements and are consolidating their positions on the battlefield.

The ministry said in a statement that the Russian army's Western Group of Forces has taken over the Stepova Novoselivka settlement in the Kharkiv region, while the Center Group has seized control over the village of Novopokrovske in the Donetsk region.

According to the ministry, Russian troops have either improved their battlefield positions or made advances.

Many Western-made weapons were also destroyed, and some were captured, it added.

Separately, in their news bulletins, the Russian media showed the guidance system of the US-made ATACMS missiles that fell into the hands of Russian soldiers.

Since the beginning of the special military operation, the ministry said, 616 aircraft, 276 helicopters, 27,040 unmanned aerial vehicles, 535 anti-aircraft missile systems, 16,471 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,362 multiple rocket launchers, 11,185 field artillery and mortars, and 23,201 vehicles have been destroyed.