Russia's Putin told of frontline liberation of Pokrovsk, Vovchansk, Kremlin says

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a military command post on Sunday and heard reports from top commanders of the capture of the towns of Pokrovsk and Vovchansk, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying on Monday.

TASS news agency quoted Peskov as saying Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian military's General Staff, "reported to the commander in chief of the liberation of the cities of Pokrovsk (called Krasnoarmeysk in Russia) in (Donetsk region) and Vovchansk in Kharkiv region, as well as the results of other offensive actions of troops in other sectors."

Ukrainian officials have made no acknowledgement that either city has fallen into Russian hands.