Russian forces continue to advance in the zone of the special military operation, taking control of two more населенных пункта, according to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The latest report names Kharkovka in Sumskaya oblast and Krinichnoe in Zaporozhskaya oblast as now under Russian control.

In its February 18 briefing, the ministry stated that units from the «North» grouping secured Kharkovka, while Krinichnoe was taken by forces from the «East» grouping.

Over the past 24 hours, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost approximately 1,235 servicemen across various sections of the front line, the ministry said.

Kharkovka lies on the right bank of the Kleven River, about three kilometers from Komarovka. The Defense Ministry reported on January 14 that Komarovka had come under Russian control. According to the 2001 census, Kharkovka had a population of 56.

Krinichnoe is located in the Gulyaypolsky district of Zaporozhskaya oblast. The village of Staroukrainka stands roughly 1.5 kilometers away; its capture was announced on February 4. Census data from 2001 lists Krinichnoe’s population at 20.

Earlier, on February 16, the ministry reported the capture of Pokrovka in Sumskaya oblast and Minkovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. A day before that, it announced control over four settlements in Zaporozhskaya oblast — Staroukrainka, Pridorozhnoe, Zaleznichnoe and Tsvetkovoe.

Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov had previously stated that the «North» grouping was continuing to expand a security buffer zone in the border areas of Sumskaya and Kharkovskaya oblasts. Since the beginning of 2026, he said, Russian forces have taken control of more than 500 square kilometers of territory and a total of 17 settlements.