Summer Campaign Led to Capture of 19 Settlements in Southeast Ukraine – Defense Ministry

By Reuters Aug. 15, 2026 Ukrainian servicemen fire MLRS towards Russian troops near the frontline city of Kramatorsk on Aug. 4. Iryna Rybakova/Press Service of the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces/Handou Russian troops have taken control of 19 settlements in southeastern Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions over their summer campaign, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday. In a statement, the ministry cited a report by Pyotr Bolgarev, commander of the eastern group of forces. It did not name the settlements. Separately, the ministry said its forces had recently taken control of the settlement of Rybalskoye in Zaporizhzhia region, news agency Interfax reported. Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports. Russian advances on the frontline have slowed this year even as Moscow has intensified its ballistic strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his forces had recaptured 745 square km (288 square miles) of Russian-held land this year across the southeastern front. Read more about: Ukraine war Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. 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. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Germany Could Send Troops to Future Ukraine Buffer Zone: Minister Boris Pistorius also said Germany should aim to spend around 3% of GDP on defense. 2 Min read Russia's Hidden War Debt Creates a Looming Credit Crisis The Kremlin's mechanism to unofficially fund its war machine is becoming a problem. 9 Min read Lavrov Welcomes Trump’s Signals on Ukraine War, Awaits Concrete Proposals While supportive of Trump’s public positions, Lavrov noted that Moscow has yet to see concrete proposals from the incoming administration. 2 Min read Ukrainian Army Hits Russian Military, Industrial Sites in Overnight Barrage Explosions rocked chemical plants, oil refineries and warehouses across Russia, a source in Ukraine’s SBU security services said. 3 Min read