Russia says it has taken control of village on outskirts of Ukraine's Bakhmut

Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday its forces had taken control of a village in eastern Ukraine's war-torn Donetsk region.

Khromove, which Russia calls Artyomovskoe, is on the western outskirts of Bakhmut, a city which Russia captured last summer after a months-long battle. The village had a pre-war population of 1,000 people.

Reuters could not independently verify the defence ministry's assertion and there was no immediate comment from Ukraine.