Russian forces captured the village of Skushne in the eastern region of Donetsk, the country’s Defense Ministry announced on Monday.

Skousne is nearby in Pokrovsk, where Russian forces have accelerated their advance in recent weeks. Pokrovsk is a strategic logistical hub for Kyiv.

Pro-Russian bloggers say Moscow’s forces are advancing in two cities of eastern Ukraine

Russian forces are fighting in the eastern Ukrainian cities of Selindov and Ukrainsk, pro-Russian bloggers reported Monday, as Moscow’s forces try to break through part of Ukraine’s defense line.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on the alleged Russian advance.

The Russian forces, which they control 18% of Ukrainian territoryare advancing into eastern Ukraine after the failure of Kiev’s counteroffensive in 2023.

Despite Ukraine’s invasion of Russia’s Kursk region that began on August 6, the numerically stronger Russian army in recent weeks has been advancing relatively quickly in the region, approaching the strategically important city of Pokrovsk, Reuters reports.

Russian state news agency TASS reported that Ukrainian forces were pushed back from part of Selindov.

Pushing south towards the city of Kurakivka, Russian forces are seeking to break the lines of Ukrainian defense lines by placing “weight” on the Pokrovsk-Donetsk road axis and encircling part of the area, Russian bloggers reported.

The Russian advance in Donetsk comes as Moscow’s forces try to drive Ukrainian soldiers out of the Kursk region after the Aug. 6 invasion, aimed in part at forcing Russian generals to withdraw forces from other parts of the front.

Despite the progress of Ukrainian forces in Kursk, Ukrainian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Alexander Shirsky admitted on Saturday that on the Pokrovsk front the situation is still difficult. Referring to other parts of the fronts inside Ukraine, Sirsky described the situation as “complicated, but under control”.