MOSCOW, September 26 (HS/RIA Novosti) - The Russian armed forces have taken control of the settlements of Petropavlovka (Petropavlivka) and Lozovaya (Lozova) in the Kharkov (Kharkiv) Region and the settlement of Maryino (Marine) in the Sumy Region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

In the course of expanding the outer control zone, the settlements of Petropavlovka and Lozovaya in the Kharkov Region were taken under control, the statement read.

Units of Russia's Sever (North) battlegroup also took control of the settlement of Maryino in the Sumy Region, the ministry said.

The ministry added that manpower and equipment of an air-mobile and a mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces and two territorial defense brigades were struck in the areas of the settlements of Esman, Kiyanitsa (Kyyanytsya), Vakalovshchina (Vakalivshchyna) and Boyaro-Lezhachi in the Sumy Region.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar