UPDATE 1-Putin met with Russian top military brass, Kremlin says

The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had visited the command post of the Russian forces "West" grouping where he had met with the chief of Russia's general staff, Valery Gerasimov, and top military brass.

Putin had been briefed on the situation in Kostiantynivka and Kramatorsk in Ukraine's Donetsk region as well as around Kupyansk in Kharkiv region, the Kremlin said. Gerasimov told Putin that the Russian forces had taken control of the Ukrainian city of Kupiansk, as well as over 80% of Vovchansk.