Russia's defence ministry on Sunday claimed the capture of a village in Ukraine's Sumy region in a rare cross-border advance.
"A unit of the North group of forces during offensive actions liberated the village of Basovka in Sumy region," the ministry said in a statement, using the Russian name for the village of Basivka close to the border with Russia's Kursk region.
Russia in early March claimed the capture of a Sumy region village for the first time since the early days of the war in 2022, saying troops had taken Novenke, a few kilometres from Basivka.
President Vladimir Putin in March said that Russian forces had crossed the border, with state media reporting that this referred to the Sumy region.
But Ukraine said its troops were pushing back attempts by small groups of Russian soldiers attempting to enter its territory.
Ukraine's troops mounted an incursion into Russia's Kursk region last August but Moscow has recently reclaimed much of this territory.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
