Russia claims taking control of 3 settlements in Ukraine’s Donetsk, Kharkiv region

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia claimed on Thursday that it took control of three settlements in Ukraine’s Donetsk and Kharkiv regions amid Moscow’s continuing offensive in the country’s east.

A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its forces captured the village of Shevchenko Pershe, located about 19 kilometers (11.8 miles) northeast of the city of Pokrovsk, a key front in Russia's offensive actions in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.

Russia has frequently claimed territorial gains in recent months, particularly in the Donetsk region, where heavy fighting has intensified around Pokrovsk, which serves as a critical logistics hub for Ukraine's military in the region.

The statement further claimed the capture of the village of Hnativka, situated about 16 km (10 mi) west of the industrial city of Toretsk, which Moscow claimed it captured in early February.

It also claimed that Russian forces captured the village of Stroivka, located near Ukraine’s border with Russia in the country’s northeastern Kharkiv region.

Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on Russia’s claims, and independent verification is difficult due to the ongoing conflict, now in its fourth year.