Russia claimed on Saturday that it took control of another settlement in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.
The Defence Ministry claimed in a statement that its forces captured the village of Bondarne, some 26 kilometres (16 miles) east of the city of Kramatorsk, the administrative centre of the eastern Ukrainian region, since Moscow captured Donetsk city in 2014.
Ukrainian authorities have yet to comment on Russia’s claims, and independent verification of the claims is difficult due to the ongoing war.
Cabinet change in Ukraine
Russian advancement occurred on the same day that Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced he had proposed Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal to become the country's energy minister and first deputy prime minister.
Zelenskyy called on Ukrainian lawmakers to support Shmyhal, a former prime minister, as the new energy minister, saying his experience was vital to ensure stability in the power sector amid intensifying Russian attacks.
"It is crucial that, after each Russian strike, we can quickly restore what has been destroyed, and that the growth of Ukraine’s energy sector remains stable and sufficient to meet the country’s needs," Zelenskiy said, posting a picture of him meeting Shmyhal in the presidential office on Telegram.
Russia has pounded Ukraine's energy sector with drones and missiles for consecutive winters since the war began nearly four years ago. In recent months, Moscow has again intensified its strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, forcing long blackouts across the country during critical winter months.
