Moscow: Russia announced on Friday that it has taken control of two additional settlements in Ukraine, as the conflict between the two nations approaches its fifth anniversary next month. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its forces in the Donetsk region have captured Zakitne, a settlement located approximately 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) east of Sloviansk. Sloviansk, alongside Kramatorsk, remains one of Ukraine's last strongholds in the eastern region following Moscow's capture of Donetsk city in 2014.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Russian Defense Ministry also claimed victory in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, capturing the village of Olenokostiantynivka, situated about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) northwest of the front-line town of Huliaipole. Russia previously claimed to have taken Huliaipole late last month, a claim that Ukraine has denied.

In contrast, Ukraine's General Staff issued a morning statement asserting that its forces had repelled five Russian attacks near three settlements on the Sloviansk front, including Zakitne. Additionally, it stated that 30 assaults were repelled near six settlements in the Huliaipole front, including Olenokostiantynivka, referred to as Zhovtnevoe in Russia's statement. Ukrainian authorities have yet to comment on these recent claims, and independent verification remains challenging due to the ongoing war.