Russian forces making progress in eastern Ukraine, UK intel suggests

Russian forces have made gradual progress along the front in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, approaching to with 7 kilometres of the city of Pokrovsk, Britain’s Ministry of Defence reported on Saturday in its latest intelligence update on the war.

The Russians had taken the town of Selydove lying to the south-east of Pokrovsk, the ministry said.

It added that Russian forces were likely to be fighting in the centre of Kurakhove, a town further to the south.

“Kurakhove forms an important section of the front line and its seizure would allow Russian forces to consolidate positions in the area and set conditions for further advances westwards,” the ministry said.

To the south-west of Pokrovsk, Ukrainian forces had apparently mounted a limited counter-attack near Velyka Novosilka, retaking the village of Novyy Komar from the Russians, the ministry said.

Russian attempts to encircle the village were continuing. Russian forces had recently taken the village of Blahodatne to the south of Velyka Nowvosilka, it said.

Moscow dismisses the regular reports on the war from the British Ministry of Defence as anti-Russian propaganda.