Moscow, 22 November 2025 (Agencies): Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that its forces have captured two key settlements in eastern Ukraine, claiming significant battlefield gains amid ongoing clashes. According to official statements, the Yug battlegroup has liberated the village of Zvanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, while the Vostok battlegroup has taken control of Novoye Zaporozhye in the Zaporozhye region.
The ministry further reported heavy Ukrainian losses across multiple fronts in the past 24 hours. Russia’s Tsentr battlegroup claimed to have eliminated more than 510 Ukrainian personnel, including up to 250 near Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk), along with two armored personnel carriers, two artillery pieces, and a vehicle. The Vostok battlegroup reported up to 225 Ukrainian soldiers killed, while the Zapad battlegroup claimed 220 casualties. Additional figures included 105 Ukrainian servicemen eliminated by the Sever battlegroup, 230 by the Yug battlegroup, and 40 by the Dnepr battlegroup, which also reported the destruction of two tanks.
The Defense Ministry described the operations as part of coordinated advances across Donetsk and Zaporozhye, aimed at consolidating control over contested settlements and weakening Ukrainian defensive positions. Independent verification of the casualty figures and territorial claims remains unavailable, as both sides continue to release conflicting battlefield reports.
The announcement underscores the intensity of fighting in eastern and southern Ukraine as winter approaches, with Russia emphasizing its momentum on multiple fronts. Ukrainian officials have acknowledged fierce battles in Donetsk and Zaporozhye but maintain that defensive operations are ongoing.