Russia captures key town in eastern Ukraine

MOSCOW, Jan 06 (AFP): Russia said Monday its forces had captured the "important logistics hub" of Kurakhove in eastern Ukraine in what would be a key advance after months of steady gains in the area.

Russian units "have fully liberated the town of Kurakhove-the biggest settlement in southwestern Donbas," the defence ministry said on Telegram. Ukrainian forces did not confirm the claim, saying only that Russia was "conducting assault operations in the urban area of Kurakhove".

"Measures are underway to identify and destroy enemy assault groups trying to infiltrate our combat formations," the army said. Ukraine's General Staff said on Facebook that its forces "repelled 27 attacks in the Kurakhove sector".

The industrial town of Kurakhove, which had a pre-war population of around 22,000 people, is located next to a reservoir and is home to a power station.

The Russian defence ministry said Ukrainian forces had made the town "a powerful fortified area with a developed network of long-standing firing positions and underground communications".