ISTANBUL

Russia claimed on Monday that it took control of a village in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region.

A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its forces captured the village of Stepove, located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Zaporizhzhia city, the region’s administrative center.

Zaporizhzhia, due to its proximity to the front line with Moscow, has been frequently hit by airstrikes amid the conflict in Ukraine.

Earlier, Ukraine’s General Staff claimed that it repelled six Russian assaults near three settlements in the Orikhiv front, including Stepove.

However, Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on Russia’s claim, and independent verification of the claim is difficult due to the ongoing war.