According to a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry, the country's army "liberated the village of Umanskoye in Donetsk region", referring to the Ukrainian village of Umanske.

"Units of the Central Military District (Tsentr) are actively fighting and are now in control of the village of Umanskoye in Donetsk," the statement added.

Umanskoye was a small village of about 200 people before the fighting broke out. It is 25km northwest of Donetsk, the main city in the Russian-controlled region.

Fighting between Ukraine and Russia continues in the area around northeastern and southeastern Ukraine, where the two provinces of Donetsk and Kharkov are "hot spots".

In addition, Russian forces also repelled five Ukrainian counterattacks and inflicted losses on Kiev units in the vicinity. Ukraine lost more than 360 soldiers, two vehicles, one M777 howitzer, one MSTA-B howitzer, three D-30 howitzers and two MT-22 anti-tank guns in the above-mentioned clashes, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

In recent times, Russia has also continuously reported victories in eastern and southern Ukraine, and opened a new front in Kharkov in the northeast.

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov also said on May 31 that Russia had made progress "in all tactical directions." He said Moscow had seized 880 square kilometers of territory this year alone.

Currently in Kharkov Oblast, Russian forces repelled seven counterattacks by the 42nd Mechanized Brigade, the 71st Jaeger Brigade and the 82nd Ukrainian Air Assault Brigade near Glubokoye, Liptsy and Vovchansk.

Russian troops are also pushing back the enemy in Kharkov province and forcing Ukrainian units to retreat 8-9 km.