Russian forces seize three towns in Donetsk and Sumy regions

Russia's Defense Ministry announced on Monday that Russian armed forces have taken control of two towns in the Donetsk People's Republic and one town in the Sumy region.

In a statement carried by Sputnik, the ministry said that up to 50 Ukrainian soldiers were neutralized, along with two armored combat vehicles, 13 vehicles, and two electronic warfare stations.

The statement added that troops from Russia's "Dnepr" group neutralized personnel and destroyed equipment belonging to a mechanized brigade and an unmanned systems brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces near the towns of Preobrazhenka and Orikhiv in the Zaporizhzhia region, and Antonivka in the Kherson region.

According to the ministry, units from Russia's "South" group improved their positions along the front line, inflicting losses on two mechanized brigades, an airborne brigade, a mountain assault brigade, and an assault regiment of the Ukrainian armed forces near the towns of Vasylivska Postush, Krasny Molotchar, Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Nikolaevka, Druzhkivka, and Vysokoyvanovka in the Donetsk People's Republic.

In the area controlled by Russia's "Center" group, the statement said that equipment and personnel from Ukrainian mechanized and assault brigades, a marine brigade, and two National Guard brigades were damaged.

The ministry noted that Ukrainian casualties occurred in the towns of Belozerskoye, Veseloye Pole, Svyagorovka, Zolotoy Kolodets, Sergeyevka, Dobropolye, and Novogrioryevka in the Donetsk People's Republic, as well as Novopavlivka in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

The statement from Russia's Defense Ministry also confirmed that in the area controlled by the "North" group, Ukrainian armed forces lost more than 250 soldiers, nine vehicles, and a field gun.