Russia said on Friday that it had seized control of three more settlements in Ukraine's Donetsk region, while Ukraine reported on the same day that fights at frontline areas remained fierce.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that over the past week, Russian forces had carried out 42 cluster strikes on Ukrainian targets using precision-guided weapons and drones across different fronts, primarily targeting energy facilities supporting Ukraine's military industry.
In the past week, Russian forces had seized control of three settlements in the Donetsk region while continuing to target Ukrainian tanks, armored vehicles, artillery, ammunition depots, fuel storage facilities, and temporary positions of Ukrainian troops and mercenaries, the report said.
The report further mentioned that Ukraine had lost over 300 soldiers in the Kursk region over the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces released a report on the same day, saying that frontline battles remained intense, with Ukrainian operations continuing in the Kursk region.
As of Friday afternoon, there had been 125 battles in the frontline areas, with the situation remaining severe, especially in the directions of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove. Ukrainian forces were taking all measures to prevent Russian advances. Additionally, Ukrainian operations in the Kurks region were ongoing.
In another development, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region had lost command, with many Ukrainian soldiers unaware of being encircled by Russian forces, according to media reports.
In response, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on social media that the Russian statement does not reflect the truth, emphasizing that Ukrainian forces are still actively engaged in combat in the Kursk region. Despite intense pressure from the Russian forces in the region, Ukrainian troops continue to inflict significant losses on Russian personnel and military equipment.