Russia's military said Wednesday that its forces took control of a village in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region as they continue to advance toward the west.The Defense Ministry said in a statement that Russian soldiers seized the village of Zapadne on the western bank of the Oskil River, which used to form the front line between the Ukrainian and Russian armies.Russia established a bridgehead on the western bank of the river earlier this year.
Zapadne is located about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) west of the river, marking a significant gain.Russian forces are advancing in the Kharkiv region to the north of the town of Kupiansk, which was one of the key locations Ukraine recaptured in its 2022 offensive.The region is under constant shelling with 10 civilians wounded in the last 24 hours according to Kharkiv region Governor Oleh Syniehubov.Zapadne's capture comes as Russian troops are also close to taking the major hub of Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky saying Tuesday that "in the east, we have a difficult situation."