MOSCOW: Russian troops pressing their slow advance through eastern Ukraine took control of two settlements in Donetsk region, Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.

Moscow’s forces captured Terny, near the town of Siversk, one of the focal points of Russia’s campaign through Donetsk region, and Neskuchne farther south, a ministry report said.

Ukraine’s General Staff, in a late evening report, said nothing about Terny changing hands, but mentioned the village as one of eight to come under attack in 17 armed clashes in the area. Five clashes were continuing late into the evening.

Russia claims capturing villages in eastern Ukraine

The report also identified Neskuchne as one of five villages where Ukrainian forces had repelled Russian attacks.

Reuters could not independently verify battlefield reports from either side.Ukraine’s popular DeepState blog, which uses open-source material to pinpoint the position of Kyiv’s troops, said Russian forces had made gains around Neskuchne.

Russian troops have been advancing at their fastest rate since the February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, announcing the capture of a long list of villages in daily frontline reports.

Russia’s military last week announced the capture of Kurakhove, a key logistics centre seen as a stepping stone to advancing on other towns.

Announcements in recent days put Russian forces within a few kilometres of Pokrovsk, another transport hub and site of the only colliery in Ukraine that provides coking coal for what once was a very large steel industry.

Two sources told Reuters on Monday that production at the Pokrovsk colliery had been suspended.