Amid ongoing hostilities on the eastern front of the Ukraine war, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on Saturday that its troops have captured three additional settlements—two in the eastern Donetsk region and one in northern Sumy.
The reported gains underscore the continued push by Russian forces to tighten their grip on strategically significant areas as the war enters a new and grueling phase.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, its forces have taken control of the village of Stupochky, located east of the embattled town of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk.
They also claimed to have seized Otradne, another settlement further west along the vast 1,000-kilometer frontline. In northern Ukraine’s Sumy region, Russia reported the capture of Loknya, a village near the Russian border.
The Donbas region—comprising Donetsk and Luhansk—has been a focal point of Moscow’s military strategy since early 2022, following Russia’s unsuccessful attempt to capture Kyiv.
Recently, Russian forces have intensified their operations in the northern front as well, particularly in Sumy, following the expulsion of Ukrainian forces from the Russian border region of Kursk, according to Moscow’s military.
Ukraine’s military has not confirmed the loss of any of the reported locations. While acknowledging ongoing attacks in areas like Stupochky and Otradne, Ukraine’s General Staff maintains that their troops have successfully repelled multiple Russian offensives—18 in total—across various frontline positions.
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Ukraine’s military remains firm in denying any territorial concessions in Sumy, despite Russia’s continued push. Independent verification of battlefield claims remains difficult. Reuters noted it could not independently confirm the status of the settlements mentioned by either side.
The DeepState military blog—popular in Ukraine and known for its open-source intelligence—suggested that Russian troops may now be establishing positions along border villages in the Sumy region for the first time since the war began. This shift could mark a new escalation along the northern front, adding to the pressure already felt in the east.
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In a related development, Russia recently claimed the capture of Radkivka, a village near the city of Kupiansk in northeastern Ukraine.
The city, which has been under persistent Russian pressure, continues to suffer extensive damage. On Saturday, Kupiansk Mayor Andrii Besedin confirmed that two city workers were killed during recent attacks.
“We are witnessing devastating losses among our people—our colleagues who sacrifice their lives to keep the city functioning,” Besedin said in a national television broadcast. “Tragically, 90% of Kupiansk is now destroyed.”
As Russia pushes forward with its offensive across multiple fronts, Ukraine remains under immense strain, both militarily and civically. While the battlefield remains fluid, the humanitarian toll and destruction continue to mount—fueling urgency for international support and renewed diplomatic efforts.
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