Doha: The Russian military forces took over fresh towns in eastern Ukraine, namely Petrovskoye in Donetsk Oblast, Tikhoye in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Otradnoye in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and inflicted heavy casualties on battlefields in those regions, the Russian Defense Ministry reported in a statement.

According to Qatar News Agency, Russia announced over the recent weeks that it has made a military breakthrough in eastern Ukraine, with its forces capturing several towns, calling this operation strategic.

Meanwhile, Ukraine hasn't denied this and continues to demand Western backing to halt the Russian advance.

These field developments come amid growing international anticipation of the outcomes of Geneva discussions today, which convene high-ranking officials from the US and Ukraine, alongside national security advisors from France, the UK, and Germany, to discuss the US-led proposal for putting a framework in place to end the war in Ukraine.