Russia claims capture of 2 villages in Kharkiv, Donetsk oblasts, Ukraine hasn't confirmed

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on May 27 that its forces had captured the villages of Netailove in Donetsk Oblast and Ivanivka in northeastern Kharkiv Oblast.

Ukrainian officials have not commented on Russia's claims. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the reports.

Netailove lies less than 15 kilometers northwest of occupied Donetsk's outskirts. Ukraine's General Staff said on May 27 that fights are ongoing near Netailove, adding that the situation there is "tense."

The crowd-sourced DeepState monitoring site reported overnight on May 27 that Russian forces had advanced near several settlements in Donetsk Oblast and occupied Netailove.

Ivanivka lies around 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of Kupiansk, a town close to Kharkiv Oblast's administrative border with Luhansk Oblast in the east. The Ukrainian military recently said that Russian activity sharply increased in the Kupiansk sector.

Moscow's troops also recently launched a new offensive in Kharkiv Oblast on May 10, but Kyiv said their advance there had been halted.

General Staff: Russian troops halted in Kharkiv sector, Ukraine conducts counterattacks

Ukrainian forces halted Russian troops in the Kharkiv sector and are conducting counteroffensive actions, Ihor Prokhorenko, a representative of the Main Operational Directorate of Ukraine’s General Staff, said at a briefing in Kyiv on May 24.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova