The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that on August 23, two settlements in the Donetsk People’s Republic came under the control of Russian forces.

According to the ministry, the village of Srednee was taken by units of the «Zapad» grouping, while the «Yug» grouping secured the settlement of Kleban-Byk.

Kleban-Byk lies south of Konstantinovka, one of the largest fortified strongholds of Ukrainian forces in Donetsk. The settlement holds strategic significance due to its role as a transit railway hub, which has been vital for supplying the Kramatorsk-Slavyansk grouping of Ukrainian troops.

Servicemen from the Russian «Yug» grouping reported that entry into Kleban-Byk was carried out on foot because of the terrain. Citing information from the field, RIA Novosti noted that Russian units advanced from several directions at once, throwing Ukrainian defenders off balance. The Ukrainian command, facing disarray, chose to withdraw from the settlement rather than risk counterattacks.