Moscow: Russia on Wednesday asserted control over two settlements in Ukraine's Donetsk and Sumy regions as it continues its military operations in the country.

According to Anadolu Agency, a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry announced that Russian forces have taken control of the village of Zelene Pole, positioned approximately 16 kilometers west of the strategic town of Velyka Novosilka in the eastern Donetsk region. Russia previously claimed to have seized Velyka Novosilka on January 27, which is located about 20 kilometers from the junction of Ukraine's Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Zelene Pole is situated just 3 kilometers from this junction.

The statement also claimed that Russian forces have taken control of the village of Kostiantynivka, located on Ukraine's border with Russia in the northeastern Sumy region. Kostiantynivka is approximately 30 kilometers north of the city of Sumy, the administrative center of the border region, which has been frequently targeted by Russian airstrikes throughout the conflict.

Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on Russia's claims, and independent verification of these claims remains challenging due to the ongoing conflict, now in its fourth year. In a prior statement on Telegram, Ukraine's General Staff mentioned that Russian forces had launched 25 attacks near five settlements in the Novopavlivka front, including Zelene Pole, a day earlier.