Russian forces have taken control of the settlements of Iskra and Shcherbinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on August 14.

According to the ministry, units from the «South» group of forces captured Shcherbinovka, striking Ukrainian personnel and equipment in the areas of Minkivka, Fedorovka, Vasyukovka, Chervone, Nikiforovka, Berestok, Zvanivka, Novodmitrovka, and Stepanovka. Ukrainian losses were reported as more than 265 soldiers, along with one armored combat vehicle, five cars, three artillery pieces, and two electronic warfare stations.

Meanwhile, the «East» group secured control of Iskra. Their strikes targeted Ukrainian army and territorial defense units in Poltavka, Zeleny Gai, and Kulturne in Zaporizhzhia Region, as well as Voronove in Dnipropetrovsk Region and Aleksandrograd in the DPR. In this sector, Ukrainian forces reportedly lost up to 230 troops, four armored vehicles, eight cars, two artillery systems, and two electronic warfare stations.

State Duma deputy Viktor Sobolev previously stated that Russian forces plan to launch offensives in three new directions once Donbas is fully under control. In addition to ongoing advances in the Sumy, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions, Russia’s plans, he said, include continuing military operations in the Mykolaiv, Odesa, and Chernihiv regions.