MOSCOW, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Russian forces took control of the villages of Kucherivka in Ukraine's northern Kharkiv region and Rivne in the eastern Donetsk region, the Defence Ministry said on Sunday.

Moscow carried out group strikes on Ukrainian transport infrastructure, fuel and energy facilities, military airfields and long-range drone complexes, the ministry added.

Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports.

(Reporting by Lucy Papachristou, Editing by Louise Heavens)