Moscow’s troops used the same pincer tactic on Velyka Novosilka that has enabled their recent capture of town after town in eastern Ukraine.

The number of Russians signing contracts at Moscow recruitment centres to fight in the war against Ukraine has fallen five-fold since its peak in late summer of last year, the independent Russian outlet Verstka reported on Jan.

Russia on Sunday claimed its troops had captured a strategically important town in eastern Ukraine, as part of a grinding campaign to weaken Kyiv’s grip on the country’s industrial heartland

Ukraine's SOF said in a statement on Tuesday that troops from its 8th Regiment cleared Russian positions and inflicted significant losses during the operation in an unspecified part of the Kursk region.

Russian forces took control of two more settlements in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, said Russia’s Defence Ministry on Saturday, the latest in a series of gains it has reported in its steady advance westward.

Moscow says it has annexed Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region and sees taking control of Pokrovsk as an important stepping stone to incorporating the entire region into Russia. Kyiv and the West reject Russia’s territorial claims as illegal and accuse Moscow of prosecuting a war of colonial conquest.

Russia on Sunday said its forces had captured the east Ukrainian town of Velyka Novosilka in the embattled Donetsk region, almost three years into their offensive. Russia's military has been making steady advances on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine for months.

North Korean troops seem to temporarily withdraw from one section of front in Kursk Oblast, military says Russia claims to capture Velyka Novosilka, Ukraine admits partial retreat but says battles ongoing Russia intensifies attacks near Pokrovsk,

Its forces captured Solone village, about 7.4 miles southwest of Pokrovsk, key front in Moscow's offensive in eastern Donetsk region, says Russian Defense Ministry - Anadolu Ajansı

Russia claimed on Sunday that its forces took control of another settlement in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, where Moscow continues to claim advances amid an ongoing regional offensive.

Putin rejects talks with Zelensky as North Korean cannon deployed - Vladimir Putin is ‘afraid of strong leaders’, says Volodymyr Zelensky