Russia Says Summer Campaign Secures 19 Ukrainian Settlements in Southeast
Russian Military Operations and Territorial Advances in Ukraine
Overview of Russian Claims
Aug 15 (Reuters) - Russian troops have taken control of 19 settlements in southeastern Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions over their summer campaign, the Russian defence ministry said on Saturday.
In a statement, the ministry cited a report by Pyotr Bolgarev, commander of the eastern group of forces. It did not name the settlements.
Recent Developments in Zaporizhzhia
Separately, the ministry said its forces had recently taken control of the settlement of Rybalskoye in Zaporizhzhia region, news agency Interfax reported.
Verification and Independent Reporting
Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports.
Context of the Conflict
Russian advances on the frontline have slowed this year even as Moscow has intensified its ballistic strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
Ukrainian Counteroffensive
On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his forces had recaptured 745 square km (288 square miles) of Russian-held land this year across the southeastern front.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Reuters, Writing by Alessandra Prentice; editing by Barbara Lewis)
