Russia claims to have taken 4 villages in Ukraine over past week

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia on Friday claimed its forces captured four villages in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region over the past week.

In a statement, the ministry said Andriivka, Burlatske, Pryvilne, and Skudne had come under Russian control following operations by the Tsentr (Center) and Vostok (East) military groups.

The ministry also reported conducting seven coordinated strikes using precision weapons and drones, targeting military airfield infrastructure, ammunition depots, production workshops, storage facilities, and command centers for unmanned aerial vehicles.

Strikes were also carried out on boat bases, temporary locations of Ukrainian armed forces, "nationalist units," and foreign mercenaries, it said.

An additional strike was launched overnight using high-precision long-range air, sea, and land-based weapons, as well as drones, targeting gas and energy infrastructure facilities that support Ukraine's military-industrial complex, the ministry said.

"The objective of the strike has been achieved. All designated targets were hit," the statement read.

Over the past week, Russian air defense systems intercepted 21 JDAM guided aerial bombs and five US-made HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, along with 637 aircraft-type drones, according to the ministry.

Since the beginning of the "special military operation" in February 2022, the ministry said, Russian forces have destroyed a total of 656 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 45,471 drones, 600 air defense systems, 22,076 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,523 multiple rocket launchers, 22,333 field artillery and mortars, and 32,573 special military vehicles.