Units of Russia’s Sever group of forces are expanding their area of control in the Kharkov Region around Novoaleksandrovka, Petropavlovka, Polnaya and Prikolotnoye, according to the Russian Defense Ministry’s September 20 battlefield report.

The ministry said Russian troops were simultaneously tightening an encirclement around Ukrainian units while widening the territory held along its outer perimeter.

According to the report, Ukrainian personnel were struck near Varvarovka, Grachevka, Reznikovo, Khizhnyakovo and Khripuny. Fighting was also continuing for control of Buzovo.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that Ukrainian formations trapped inside the encirclement had lost more than 30 servicemen over the previous 24 hours.

Earlier in September, the ministry reported that around 1,700 Ukrainian servicemen had been encircled in the northern part of the Kharkov Region.