Ukrainian military denies Russian forces have reached suburbs of Chasiv Yar

The Ukrainian military denied on Friday that Russian forces had entered the suburbs of Chasiv Yar, a town in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, but said there was fighting in the area.

"The situation there is very difficult, the fighting continues, but they (Russian troops) are not there," Andriy Zadubinnyi, spokesman for Ukraine's eastern command told Reuters. "Don't believe the Russian reports."

Russia's RIA news agency cited an adviser to the Russian-appointed regional head earlier as saying that Russian forces were in the suburb of Chasiv Yar.