Russia claims capture of Bratske village in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk

Russia has declared the capture of another village in southeastern Ukraine, stating its forces have taken control of Bratske in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The announcement, made via the Russian Defense Ministry's Telegram channel, claims a further incremental advance in a sector that has seen relentless combat.

Details of the Claimed Advance

According to the Russian statement, the settlement of Bratske was seized. It is located approximately three kilometers northwest of Ostapivske, a village Moscow claimed to have captured in December 2024. This would represent a small but tactically significant consolidation of Russian positions in the area, though the claims lack independent verification due to the ongoing conflict.

Reporting of Combat in the Sector

The claim follows Ukrainian military reports of intense Russian assault activity in the broader Oleksandrivka sector. On Wednesday, Ukraine's General Staff reported 15 Russian assaults near nine settlements, specifically naming villages of Vyshneve and Yehorivka, which lie roughly 10 kilometers southeast of the recently contested Bratske.

Context and Verification Challenges

Ukrainian authorities had not issued an immediate comment on the Russian claim at the time of reporting. The nearly four-year-long war has made battlefield claims from both sides difficult to confirm independently. The Dnipropetrovsk region, once further from the frontline, has become an active combat zone following the collapse of Ukrainian defensive lines in neighboring areas in late 2024, leading to a slow but persistent Russian advance.