ALBAWABA - The Russian Ministry of Defense announced today that its forces have captured two strategic settlements in Ukraine: Pershotravneve in the Kharkiv region and Kurakhivka in the Donetsk region.
According to the Ministry’s statement, the Russian Armed Forces intensified operations across Ukraine, deploying aircraft, drones, missiles, and artillery to strike 149 sites used by the Ukrainian military.
These targets reportedly included energy infrastructure facilities, command centers of the nationalist “Kraken” group, a military airfield, a fuel depot, a drone production workshop, and multiple areas housing Ukrainian military units and equipment.
The statement added that Russian air defenses intercepted and destroyed four U.S.-manufactured ATACMS missiles, three French-made Hammer guided bombs, and 50 UAVs.
The Ministry’s statement also claimed that Russian forces have gained significant control in Donbas and surrounding areas. "Western units successfully captured the settlement of Pershotravneve in Kharkiv, while central units seized Kurakhivka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," it noted.
Yesterday, the Russian Ministry reported that, over the last week, Russian forces had secured control of 12 Ukrainian settlements—one in the Kharkiv region and 11 in Donetsk.