MOSCOW - Russia on Sunday said its forces had captured the east Ukrainian town of Velyka Novosilka in the embattled Donetsk region, almost three year

Russia claims full occupation of Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk region. The Khortytsia operational and tactical group of troops refutes this, stating that Ukrainian forces still control certain positions closer to the outskirts of the village,

Ukraine’s 110th Mechanized Brigade acknowledged a withdrawal from parts of the village to avoid encirclement but claimed that fighting is ongoing elsewhere in Velyka Novosilka.

The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) is focusing a lot of attention to the claimed Russian seizure of Velyka Novosilka, very likely as part of informational efforts to shape Western perceptions of the battlefield situation in Ukraine and degrade international support for Ukraine.

Velyka Novosilka is close to the southern front line in Ukraine– which has remained largely static but where fears of a fresh Russian offensive have risen for weeks.

A Ukrainian brigade fires a self-propelled howitzer toward Russian front-line positions in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, 23025

While Moscow has officially stated that its forces have seized Velyka Novosilka, ISW reports only incremental Russian advances within the village. Geolocated footage published on Jan. 26 shows Russian troops progressing along Central Street in the village's northern part,