Valery Gerasimov said in remarks released by the defense ministry that Russian forces had taken control of 80 settlements and were pushing toward what he described as Ukraine’s “fortress belt” in the east.

The campaign is focused on the Donbas, where Russian troops are advancing toward a line of heavily defended cities, including Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka. Gerasimov said Russian forces were within 7 to 12 kilometres of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk and already engaged in fighting in parts of Kostiantynivka.

Russia is also conducting operations in the northern Sumy region and the northeastern Kharkiv region, aiming to establish what it calls a “security zone” along the border.Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield claims, and Ukraine’s military did not immediately comment.

Pro-Ukrainian mapping suggests a smaller territorial gain by Russian forces this year.Ukrainian commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said earlier this month that Kyiv’s troops had recaptured nearly 50 square kilometres in March, highlighting continued contested advances in what is Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.

According to Russian estimates, Moscow controls about 90% of Donbas and roughly 75% of the Zaporizhzhia region and Kherson region, along with smaller parts of other regions including Mykolaiv region and Dnipropetrovsk region.

Russia also retains control of Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, a move widely rejected internationally.The conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, continues to see incremental territorial shifts, with both sides reporting gains amid heavy fighting.

The figures, published by the Pentagon, show that 247 of the injured are from the U.S. Army, 63 from the Navy, 19 from the Marine Corps and 36 from the Air Force.

The data also indicates that 200 of those wounded are mid- to senior-level enlisted personnel, while 85 are officers and 80 are junior enlisted troops.

It remains unclear whether the figures include personnel involved in two combat aircraft incidents reported on Friday, including the downing of a U.S. fighter jet during operations over Iran.The overall death toll stands at 13 U.S. service members, the military said.

Of these, six died when a refueling aircraft crashed over Iraq, while seven were killed in combat operations linked to the conflict.

Separately, 12 U.S. troops were wounded, including two seriously, in an Iranian strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, according to earlier reports.

The casualty figures come as U.S. forces continue sustained operations against Iran, with the scale and intensity of the conflict raising concerns over its broader regional and strategic implications.

The victim, believed to be around 60 years old, died in Tel Aviv following a missile impact, according to Magen David Adom, which added that two others sustained minor injuries.

The Israel Defense Forces said it had identified missiles launched from Iran toward Israeli territory, with air defense systems activated to intercept the threat.Search and rescue teams were deployed to multiple impact sites in central Israel, the military said, while witnesses reported seeing missile trails over Jerusalem.

Explosions were also heard in Jericho in the occupied West Bank.Emergency responders were seen at the scene in Tel Aviv, where a main road was partially sealed off following the strike.

Israeli authorities said earlier that at least 18 civilians had been killed since the start of the conflict, including 13 Israelis, four minors, a Filipino caregiver and a Thai national, in missile attacks attributed to Iran.

The military warned that additional missile launches were detected as Saturday approached, indicating the continuation of hostilities.Iran signals retaliationIranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said earlier that Tehran would impose a “heavy price” for Israeli actions, following reported strikes on major Iranian steel facilities and nuclear sites.

The exchange of attacks marks an intensification of the conflict between the two countries, with both sides continuing cross-border strikes amid mounting civilian casualties.