The Russian defence ministry said troops also captured the villages of Verkhnyaya Pysarivka in Kharkiv and Boykove in Zaporizhzhia during the ongoing military operations. 

The announcement came in the ministry’s daily report, which detailed actions across multiple fronts, including continued strikes on Ukrainian military airfields, industrial sites, and energy infrastructure supporting Ukraine’s armed forces.

A senior Russian military official, speaking on condition of attribution, told that units from the "North” group inflicted 255 casualties on Ukrainian forces in Kharkiv and Sumy, while the "West” group caused 170 losses. The "East” group reportedly killed 275 Ukrainian soldiers, and the "South” group secured strategic lines, inflicting 175 casualties. Additionally, the "Dnipro” and "Center” units improved their tactical positions along the frontlines, causing 70 and 370 Ukrainian casualties, respectively.

Eyewitnesses in the Donbas region described heightened activity near frontline towns, with distant artillery fire audible across surrounding villages. 

Anastasia Shevchenko, a resident of Sievierodonetsk, said, "People are tense because every time there is an announcement like this, we don’t know if the situation on the ground has actually changed.” Aid workers reported increased civilian movement toward shelters in anticipation of potential escalation.

The developments follow years of conflict in the Donbas region, where Russian-backed separatists have controlled parts of Luhansk and Donetsk since 2014, and Russia formally annexed Luhansk in 2022 following a widely disputed referendum. 

Ukrainian forces have maintained positions in certain areas of Luhansk despite repeated Russian offensives, and Ukrainian officials have frequently disputed Moscow’s claims of complete territorial control.

Analysts note that if Russian control is confirmed, it would mark a strategic milestone for Moscow in consolidating its presence in eastern Ukraine and reinforcing administrative control over occupied territories. Ukrainian officials, however, continue to assert that many areas remain contested, highlighting the difficulty of verifying territorial claims amid ongoing hostilities. 

Military observers indicate that the announcement may also carry geopolitical implications, as Moscow’s claims could influence ongoing diplomatic discussions and international perceptions of the conflict. 

The precise status of territories in eastern Ukraine remains opaque, and independent verification on the ground is limited due to security constraints, emphasizing the continued volatility of the region.