Russia claims it captured another settlement in eastern Ukraine

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed Thursday that its forces had captured another settlement in eastern Ukraine.

In a statement, the ministry said units from Russia's Southern group of forces had taken control of the village of Rai-Oleksandrivka in the Donetsk region.

The ministry also said Russian forces carried out a group strike using precision-guided land- and air-launched weapons as well as long-range attack drones in response to Ukrainian attacks on what it described as civilian targets inside Russia.

According to Moscow, the strikes targeted fuel and energy infrastructure supporting Ukraine's military, including a fuel storage facility in the Boryspil area of the Kyiv region and an oil refinery in the Poltava region.

Earlier Thursday, Ukraine's General Staff confirmed launching a large-scale air attack on Russia, including what it described as the largest drone strike on Moscow since the start of the conflict.

Russia also said its air defense systems intercepted 10 guided aerial bombs, three US-made HIMARS rockets, four Flamingo long-range cruise missiles and 992 fixed-wing drones.

Ukraine has not commented on Russia's claim that it captured Rai-Oleksandrivka. Kyiv rarely responds publicly to Russian statements regarding territorial gains.