Russia has claimed that its forces have captured two additional settlements in eastern and northeastern Ukraine, continuing its reported territorial advances as fighting persists across multiple front lines.
In a statement released on Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry said its troops had taken control of the village of Stinky in Ukraine’s Donetsk region and Virivka in the Kharkiv region. According to Moscow, the latest advances bring the total number of Ukrainian settlements it claims to have captured over the past week to 12.
Russian officials said Stinky is located approximately 20 kilometers from Kramatorsk, a strategically important city that has served as the administrative center of the Donetsk region since 2014.
Ukraine has not publicly responded to the latest Russian claims, and the reported territorial gains have not been independently verified. Ongoing combat and restricted access to frontline areas continue to make confirmation of battlefield developments difficult.
The announcement comes as hostilities between Russian and Ukrainian forces remain intense across eastern and northeastern Ukraine, with both sides continuing military operations and issuing competing claims regarding control of territory.
Independent verification of developments on the battlefield remains limited, and observers continue to monitor the situation as the conflict evolves.
NEWS DESK
PRESS UPDATE