Oh dear. Niggling over words or terminology.
1. to take by force or stratagem; The police captured the burglar.
2. to gain control of or exert influence over: an ad that captured our attention.
The police captured a burglar does not mean they used force.
I suppose I could have posted that...
The EU had gained a lot of the old Soviet Empire, or
The EU have taken much of the old Soviet Empire.
Same meaning. The EU have welcomed a huge area of land and millions of people that were once under the Russia's influence.
That's enough herding cats for today.