Moscow: Russia announced on Saturday that its forces have taken control of two towns in eastern Ukraine, killing 1,020 Ukrainian soldiers and downing 169 drones.

According to Qatar News Agency, a statement by the Russian Ministry of Defense indicated that units from the Russian ‘Eastern’ Group secured the town of Voronove in the Dnipropetrovsk region, while units from the ‘Western’ Group captured Kolodiazi in the Donetsk region.

The statement added that Russian forces, including operational-tactical aviation and attack drones, targeted Ukrainian military positions in the Donetsk, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions. The operations resulted in the destruction of dozens of combat vehicles, artillery pieces, ammunition depots, and electronic warfare stations. Additionally, a military airport, production facilities, and drone storage depots were reported to have sustained damage.