Russia says it captured 3 more settlements in east Ukraine
Since the Russian troops failed to advance on Kyiv, they have focused on capturing the Donbas in the east, made up of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Russian troops made significant gains in Ukraine by advancing on the eastern front and capturing two settlements in Donetsk region and one in the northern region of Sumy on Sunday.
A statement issued by the Russian defense ministry stated that their forces had captured the village of Stupochky and Otradne in Donetsk region. Further, they also captured Loknya, a village inside the Russian border in the Sumy region.
The general staff of Ukraine’s military have acknowledged no such losses. Ukraine also said Otradne is one of the several towns where Ukrainian troops had halted 18 frontline Russian attacks. It referred to Stupochky earlier this week as part of an area under Russian attack.
Since the Russian troops failed to advance on Kyiv in the first week of war, Russia has been focused on capturing the Donbas in the east, made up of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In recent months, Moscow has also tried to advance in the Sumy region, particularly after Russia's military said it had ousted Ukrainian troops from the Russian border region of Kursk. For months, Ukraine has reported attempts by Russian forces to occupy areas of the Sumy region, but has never acknowledged the capture of any of them.
A popular military blog in Ukraine named DeepState, which uses open-source reports, said that for the first time, Russian forces have "been able to take up positions" along a line of border villages.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Russia’s defence ministry announced the capture of a village outside the city of Kupianisk named Radkivka, which has been under pressure for months.
In Kupianisk, the Russian attacks are doing significant damage, including the death of two city workers on Friday. Kupiansk Mayor Andrii Besedin told national television that “90 per cent of the city is now destroyed,” and losses are seen in people who give their lives so the city can go on living.
With inputs from Reuters
