Russia claims it captured 2 more settlements in Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk regions

Russia claimed on Thursday that it captured two more settlements in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions as Moscow continues to advance on various fronts in the country's east.

According to a Russian Defense Ministry statement, the Russian forces captured the village of Mykolaivka, located about 18 kilometers (11 miles) southeast of the city of Pokrovsk, a key logistical hub in the area where intense clashes continue between Moscow and Kyiv's troops.

It added that the forces also captured the village of Stelmakhivka, situated about 34 kilometers (21 miles) southeast of the city of Kupiansk, another important front situated in the neighboring Kharkiv region.

The ministry said that Russian forces have advanced further in both areas.

Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on Russia's claims, and independent verification of the claims is difficult due to the ongoing conflict.