The Russian defence ministry said today that its forces had taken control of the town of Rovnopol in Donetsk province in eastern Ukraine and repelled attacks, while its air defences shot down 85 drones, rockets and three bombs, adding that Ukrainian forces had lost 870 soldiers killed and wounded in fighting on several fronts.

The ministry said in a statement that units of the ‘East’ group forces managed to control the town of ‘Rovnopol’ and repelled two counter-attacks by Ukrainian groups, noting that the losses of the Ukrainian forces amounted to about 150 soldiers killed and wounded, one armoured personnel carrier, seven vehicles and a number of field guns.

The Russian Ministry of Defence has recently been announcing almost daily that its forces have advanced and taken control of areas and towns in eastern Ukraine and have shot down drones, while there are still conflicting reports about the facts of the situation on the ground since the start of the Russian attack on Ukraine.