Russia claims to have taken control of another village in Ukraine

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Sunday that its forces have taken control of another Ukrainian village.

The ministry said in a statement that the Southern group of forces captured the settlement of Zorya in the Donetsk region while units of the Tsentr (Center) grouping reached the region's western border and continue to advance into the neighboring Dnepropetrovsk region.

Russian forces also carried out a strike using aviation, drones, artillery and missiles, targeting Ukraine’s workshops producing and repairing attack drones, as well as drone launch and storage sites, places of temporary deployments of the Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries, the ministry added.

Over the past day, Russian air defense systems shot down 131 drones, including over 73 outside the battle zone, at least one of them near the capital Moscow, it said.

Ukraine has yet to comment on Russia's claims, and independent verification is challenging due to the ongoing armed conflict.