Russian Defense Ministry announces its forces’ control over two new villages in eastern Ukraine

The Russian Defense Ministry announced today, Thursday, that its forces have taken control of two new villages in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine, noting the army's continued advance deep into Ukrainian territory. The Ministry said in a statement that Russian ground forces took control of the village of Mykolaivka, located 15 kilometers from the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, and the village of Stelmakhivka in the neighboring Lugansk region. Source: National Iraqi News Agency