Russia claims to have taken another Ukrainian settlement under control

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia on Friday said its forces captured another settlement in Ukraine.

The Defense Ministry said in a statement that as a result of active offensive operations by units of the Vostok (East) group of forces, the village of Novonikolayevka in the Dnipropetrovsk went under Russia's control.

The ministry added that aviation, drone, rocket, and artillery units struck command posts, launch sites, and storage locations for long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 157 areas.

According to the ministry, Ukraine responded with air attacks, and over the past day Russia's air defense systems have shot down three US-made HIMARS rockets and 340 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has been continuing a massive attack on the city of Belgorod and the Belgorod region for the fourth day in a row, its Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram.

"Right now there are six unmanned aerial vehicles in the air over Belgorod, two of which have already been shot down. The massive attack on Belgorod and the Belgorod district has been continuing for the fourth day," he said.

Many drone attacks are also continuing on the border municipalities, he said, describing the situation as "extremely difficult."