ISTANBUL

Russia on Saturday claimed that it took control of another settlement in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.

According to a Defense Ministry statement, the Russian forces captured the village of Brusivka, situated about 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) northeast of the city of Sloviansk.

Sloviansk is one of Ukraine’s last strongholds in the eastern region, other than Kramatorsk, which became the region’s administrative center after Moscow captured the city of Donetsk in 2014.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s General Staff said in a statement that Russian forces conducted nine assaults near five settlements in the Lyman front, including the town of Lyman, which is located about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) north of Brusivka.

However, Ukrainian authorities have not commented on Russia’s latest claim, and independent verification of Russia’s claim is difficult due to the ongoing war, which entered its fifth year last month.