Russian forces capture Dobropillia in eastern Ukraine, minister says, no confirmation from Kyiv

Russian Defence ​Minister Andrei Belousov said ​on Friday ‌that Moscow's ​forces had captured the town of Dobropillia in eastern ‌Ukraine's Donetsk region. Ukraine made no mention of Dobropillia changing hands. The town, southwest of the ‌key centres of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, has ‌been under sustained Russian attack for some time.

The Ukrainian military said on Friday Russian forces were trying ⁠to ​advance ⁠near Dobropillia, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said earlier ⁠this week that Russian troops were sustaining losses ​around the town. Belousov also said Moscow's forces ⁠had captured two villages in eastern Ukraine, Oleksiievo-Druzhkivka in ⁠the ​same area of Donetsk region and Velykomykhaylivka in Dnipropetrovsk region.

Russian forces have ⁠been advancing slowly through Donetsk region and other parts ⁠of ⁠eastern Ukraine, though the rate of their gains has slowed in ‌recent ‌months.