Russia claims to have taken control of settlement in Ukraine

By Elena Teslova and Alperen Aktas

MOSCOW/ISTANBUL (AA) – The Russian Defense Ministry on Tuesday claimed that its forces captured the settlement of Novovasylivka in Ukraine's Donetsk region.

According to a ministry statement, the village came under Russian control following an operation conducted by the Tsentr (Center) group of forces.

It said that the forces carried out seven airstrikes using high-precision long-range weapons on Ukrainian energy facilities providing electricity to defense industry enterprises.

According to the Russian media, forces also hit logistics facilities in Ukraine’s Odesa region overnight.

An explosion was reported at 2 a.m. (0000GMT) in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, hitting the local trade port. The port was used to store military equipment and ammunition from Ukraine’s Western allies, sources claimed.

Authorities are still assessing the damage. Some port workers were told to stay home and preliminary reports suggest a railway warehouse may have been hit.

In Chornomorsk city, formerly called Illichivsk, two more explosions were heard. One strike reportedly hit the railway ferry complex, a key transit point for ferries from Romania to Türkiye.

The second explosion was reported near Tairovo, where a transport base and warehouses are located.

After the strikes in Chornomorsk, residents said they saw two evacuation helicopters coming from the Romanian border before quickly leaving.

Ukrainian authorities, including the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), have launched an investigation and summoned some port employees for questioning.