The Ministry of Defense of Russia announced on Friday that Russian armed forces captured the town of Toretsk in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
"The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reports that during the course of intense combat operations, the 8th Army's assault detachments, together with the forces of Donbass, completed the encirclement and liberated the strategically important town of Toretsk," the ministry's statement said.
Local residents confirm that the town is effectively under the control of Russian troops. "We hear gunfire, see military equipment and soldiers on the streets. The situation is very tense," one local resident said.
For their part, representatives of the Donetsk Republic reported that the Ukrainian army lost contact with the town of Toretsk and attempts at counterattacks were reflected.
This is the latest development in the conflict in a region that remains under pressure as a result of violations of the ceasefire and an escalation of armed clashes in recent weeks.
