Russia claimed on Friday that its forces had captured two more Ukrainian settlements, saying the villages of Stinky in the eastern Donetsk region and Virivka in the northeastern Kharkiv region had come under Moscow’s control.
In a statement on Max, a Russian social media platform, the Defense Ministry said it had taken control of Stinky, which lies about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the city of Kramatorsk. Kramatorsk has served as the region’s administrative center since Donetsk city fell to Russian-backed separatists in 2014.
The ministry also claimed that Virivka in the Kharkiv region had fallen to Russian forces, and said Moscow had captured a total of 12 Ukrainian settlements over the past week. Ukraine has yet to comment on the latest claims, and independent verification remains difficult because of the ongoing war.
If confirmed, the gains would extend Russia’s slow but steady push along the eastern front, where its troops have been grinding toward the key logistics hubs of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in the Donetsk region. Russian forces have also pressed in the Kharkiv region, where Ukraine has fought to hold a series of frontline villages.
Russian claims of territorial gains have frequently outpaced what can be independently confirmed, and Ukraine’s General Staff regularly reports heavy fighting along the same sectors. Both sides have described the battles around Kramatorsk as among the most intense of the war, with artillery and drone strikes shaping the frontline daily.
Kramatorsk, with its rail hub and military headquarters, has been a Russian target since the full-scale invasion began, and its capture would be a major symbolic and logistical blow for Ukraine. The city has endured repeated missile and drone attacks throughout the war, including a deadly strike on a railway station in April 2022.
The Defense Ministry’s assertion of 12 settlements in a week, if accurate, would mark one of the faster paces of advance this year. Military analysts caution that control over small villages does not always translate into operational breakthroughs, since supply lines, fortifications and reserves determine whether a front line can be stabilized.
The claims come as Ukraine continues to press its own operations, including long-range drone strikes on Russian logistics and fuel infrastructure, and as diplomatic efforts remain stalled. The reported advances give Moscow talking points ahead of any future negotiations while Kyiv’s forces work to shore up defensive lines in the east.
Sources: Anadolu Agency, Russian Defense Ministry (Telegram)
Author: Russia Desk
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