UPDATE - Russia claims to have taken control of another settlement in Ukraine

UPDATE WITH MORE DEATAILS

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Friday that its forces have captured the Tymofiivka settlement in Ukraine's Donetsk region.

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

Over the last week, the Russian army has taken control of nine settlements in the Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Luhansk regions combined.

The ministry also announced another exchange of the bodies of military personnel, stating that Moscow had returned the remains of 757 soldiers, while Ukraine had returned 49 bodies.

Ukraine has yet to comment on these claims, and independent verification remains difficult due to the ongoing conflict.

Separately, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, reported that nearly half a million individuals joined the Russian armed forces in 2024.

"Approximately, 450,000 people have signed contracts for military service. Additionally, more than 40,000 of our citizens joined volunteer formations and deployed to the special military operation zone," Medvedev said.