Russian forces continue advances in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, claiming another settlement

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian forces are making further advances in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, with the Defense Ministry in Moscow claiming control of Ivanivka village on Thursday.

The operation was carried out by the Tsentr (Center) group of forces, the ministry said in a statement, adding that other units have improved their positions along the front lines.

"Since the beginning of the special military operation, 638 aircraft, 279 helicopters, 30,005 drones, 569 anti-aircraft missile systems, 17,064 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,400 multiple rocket launchers, 13,247 field artillery and mortars, and 24,738 special military vehicles have been destroyed," according to the ministry.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's National Guard spokesperson Ruslan Muzychuk on Thursday admitted that Kyiv's offensive in Russia's Kursk region has not slowed Moscow's advance.

"As seen from both official reports by the General Staff and accounts from units and fighters on the front line, the pace of Russia's offensive and the intensity of assaults are not decreasing," Muzychuk told a local broadcaster.

Earlier, Apty Alaudinov, deputy head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian armed forces, claimed that Russian forces had recaptured the settlement of Martynovka in the Kursk region, previously taken by Ukrainian troops.

Earlier, Apty Alaudinov, deputy head of the Russian armed forces' Main Military-Political Directorate, claimed that Russian forces have recaptured the Martynovka settlement in the Kursk region, which was previously taken by Ukrainian troops.

In a separate statement, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) announced the arrest of Ukrainian saboteurs suspected of attempting to blow up a police department in the Tyumen region.

The incursion began on the night of August 5-6, when Ukrainian forces entered Russia's Kursk region near Sudzha.

On Aug. 12, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the incursion but did not elaborate on its objectives.

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the incursion as a "terrorist attack."

Independent verification of claims from both sides remains difficult due to the ongoing conflict.