Russia claims taking control of 2 more settlements in Ukraine

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia claimed on Sunday that it took control of two more settlements in Ukraine amid its ongoing offensive in the country’s east.

The Defense Ministry said its forces captured the village of Kucherivka, about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) east of the city of Kupiansk, in the northeastern Kharkiv region.

Last month, Russia claimed taking Kupiansk, almost 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, though Kyiv has denied Moscow’s claim.

The ministry statement on Sunday also said that forces took control of the village of Rivne, situated between the front-line cities of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad in the Donetsk region.

Earlier this month, Moscow claimed control over Pokrovsk, which serves as a critical logistics hub for Ukraine's military operations. Kyiv has denied the claim, asserting that its troops continue to hold the city's northern part.

On Thursday, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said they entered an “extremely difficult stage” in defense of both cities.

Ukrainian authorities have yet to comment on Russia’s recent claims, and independent verification is difficult due to the war that has continued since February 2022.