Moscow [Russia], A day after Russia claimed to have captured five villages following a fresh ground offensive in north-eastern Ukraine, Moscow has now captured four more villages in the northern Kharkiv region, CNN reported, Although a Ukrainian regional official acknowledged on Monday that ground fighting was spreading, citing Ukraine's top general, he said Russia had not made "significant" progress to date. According to CNN, it is not yet clear what Russia hopes to achieve from this new operation, which began early Friday morning. Russia now claims control over nine Ukrainian border villages, nestled in two areas a few dozen kilometers north-east of the city of Kharkiv, according to information from the Defense Ministry in Moscow. Russian forces captured five villages after a fresh ground attack. The attack in north-eastern Ukraine, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday, citing Russia's Defense Ministry, however, Ukrainian officials did not confirm whether Russia had captured the villages, which are north of Kharkiv, Ukraine. The border is in a disputed "grey zone". Region and Russia Al Jazeera reported, citing several Ukrainian journalists, who said the villages of Borisivka, Ohrtseve, Pilna and Strylecha were taken by Russian troops on Friday.Russia claimed that the village of Platenivka was also taken. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday evening. (As of local time fighting was continuing in Strylecha and Pletenivka, as well as in Krasne Morokhovets, Oleynikov, Lukyantsi and Hathysh. "Our troops are defending Ukrainian territory and carrying out counter-attacks there for the second day," he said earlier on Friday. The study by the Institute for War said geolocated footage confirms at least one village was seized. The Washington-based think tank described recent Russian achievements as "strategically significant."According to Ukrainian officials, the renewed attack on the area has forced more than 1,700 civilians living in settlements near the fighting to flee. This has happened after Russia intensified its targeted attacks in March. The energy infrastructure and settlements were what analysts had predicted was a concerted effort by Moscow to shape an aggressive posture.