Moscow: Russia has announced the capture of two additional settlements in Ukraine as part of its ongoing military offensive in the eastern regions of the country.

According to Anadolu Agency - English, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Sunday that its forces successfully took control of the village of Kucherivka, located approximately 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) east of Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region. This announcement follows last month's claim by Russia that it had captured Kupiansk, a city situated nearly 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. However, Ukrainian officials have disputed Russia's assertion that Kupiansk is under Russian control.

In addition to Kucherivka, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that its forces have also taken control of the village of Rivne, which lies between the front-line cities of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad in the Donetsk region. Earlier this month, Moscow declared that it had gained control over Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub for Ukraine's military operations. Kyiv has refuted this claim, maintaining that its troops continue to hold the northern part of the city.

On Thursday, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi acknowledged the challenges faced by Ukrainian forces, noting that they have entered an "extremely difficult stage" in their defense of both cities. Ukrainian authorities have yet to issue a formal response to Russia's latest claims, and independent verification remains challenging amidst the ongoing conflict that began in February 2022.