Moscow: The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Thursday that its forces have taken control of four settlements in eastern and northeastern Ukraine. This development marks a significant moment in the ongoing conflict as Russia continues its military operations in the region.

According to Anadolu Agency, the ministry released a statement indicating that units from Russia's Centre group have successfully captured the settlement of Krasnoyarskoye located in Ukraine's Donetsk region. In addition, forces from the North group have established control over the settlements of Mala Slobodka and Mogrytsia in the Sumy region, along with Yurchenkove in the Kharkiv region.

Russian military efforts continue to focus on advancing in eastern Ukraine while broadening their operations in the northeastern Sumy region. Moscow asserts that it is working on creating a buffer zone along the border in these areas. Meanwhile, Ukraine maintains that it is actively resisting Russian advances and causing significant losses to Russian forces. The ongoing conflict makes it difficult to independently verify these claims.