Moscow: The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced that its forces have taken control of two towns in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. The announcement came on Thursday, detailing the capture of Zarubinka and Guptovka as part of Russia’s ongoing military operations in eastern Ukraine.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated in a press release that its military units are advancing deep into Ukrainian defenses. The capture of these towns was accompanied by reports of 215 Ukrainian soldiers killed in the fighting. Additionally, Ukrainian forces reportedly lost several armored vehicles, artillery pieces, and an anti-tank radar system in the area.

In recent days, there has been a noticeable escalation in Russian advances in eastern Ukraine, coupled with drone attacks targeting major Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv.