On Wednesday, Russia’s military announced that its forces have captured the village of Kruhliakivka in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, where Russian troops have been intensifying their efforts against Ukrainian forces for several months.
Kruhliakivka, located around 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Kupiansk—a heavily contested Ukrainian stronghold—had about 1,200 residents before the full-scale invasion.
Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that its forces had “liberated the settlement of Krugliakovka in the Kharkiv region,” referring to the village by its Russian name.
Ukrainian forces had previously driven Russian troops out of Kupiansk and much of the Kharkiv region in late 2022.
However, Russian forces are now regaining ground, taking advantage of Ukraine’s overstretched and fatigued defenses.
Russia has gained control over approximately 478 square kilometers (185 square miles) of Ukrainian territory this month—the largest territorial advance since March 2022.
