The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday that it took control of two settlements located in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.

In a brief daily update on Telegram, the Ministry announced the capture of Spirne and Novoaleksandrovka, which the Russian government recognizes as part of the Donetsk People’s Republic. Ukraine’s military has not confirmed this and merely referred to heavy fighting in the region.

Donetsk is one of the four regions Russia claimed to have annexed after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russian forces only exercise partial control over the provinces, with significant areas remaining under Ukrainian authority. The battle for control over Donetsk and Luhansk, a region collectively known as the Donbas, has been ongoing since 2014. Recently, the conflict resulted in Russian forces declaring the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. While Russia has officially recognized the two entities, Ukraine has not.

The conflict escalated significantly in 2022, prompting responses from the UN and an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into alleged war crimes committed in Ukraine. Last month, the Donetsk People’s Republic has come under scrutiny following a report by Global Rights Compliance documenting the use of starvation as a method of warfare by Russian forces. The report, which closely relates to the ICC’s investigation, details the situation in Ukraine and highlights the arrest of civilian humanitarian volunteers on terrorism-related charges under the Criminal Code of the self-proclaimed territory of Donetsk.

International efforts to end the war in Ukraine have gained increased significance. Recently, the Ukraine Peace Summit hosted in Switzerland gathered representatives from over 100 countries, aiming to resolve the conflict through global cooperation. Additionally, periodic prisoner exchanges continue to take place, with the latest confirmed last week, where the United Arab Emirates served as an international intermediary.