International desk:
Russia said on Monday its forces had captured the ‘important logistics hub’ of Kurakhove in eastern Ukraine in what would be a key advance after months of steady gains in the area.
Moscow has been pressing hard in eastern Ukraine, and the claimed capture of the industrial town is a major boost for its forces just two weeks before US president-elect Donald Trump comes to power, having vowed to strike a peace deal.
Both sides are looking to secure a better position on the battlefield before his January 20 inauguration. Moscow said Kyiv had launched its own counter-offensive on Russian territory over the weekend.
Russian units ‘have fully liberated the town of Kurakhove — the biggest settlement in southwestern Donbas,’ the defence ministry said on Telegram.
Ukrainian forces did not confirm the claim, saying only that Russia was ‘conducting assault operations in the urban area of Kurakhove’.
‘Measures are under way to identify and destroy enemy assault groups trying to infiltrate our combat formations,’ the army said.
