In a daily briefing posted on Telegram, the defence ministry said its troops had "liberated" Ukrainsk, home to more than 10,000 before Russia launched its full-scale military offensive in February 2022.
The town is one of the more significant conquests in recent weeks for Russia, whose troops have claimed control of a string of small villages and settlements as they push forward.
Ukrainsk lies around 30 kilometres (18 miles) west of the city of Donetsk, the capital of the region Moscow claims to have annexed.
Moscow's forces are seeking to gain control of the entire Donetsk region and have demanded Kyiv withdraw its troops from there, as well as from the Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, as a precondition to opening peace talks.
China, Ukraine FMs discuss how to end war in Ukraine: Kyiv
Beijing (AFP) Sept 26, 2024 -
Kyiv's foreign minister has discussed ways to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine with his Chinese counterpart at the United Nations General Assembly, Kyiv said Thursday.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who had earlier met Russia's top diplomat, told a Security Council session this week that diplomacy was the only solution to the war in Ukraine.
Wang met Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sybiga and the head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's office, Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said.
Wang was photographed shaking hands with Sybiga, who was appointed this month in a reshuffle.
The Ukrainians "thanked China for supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity", Kyiv said.
The pair "exchanged views on the principles of achieving a comprehensive, fair and lasting peace for Ukraine based on the UN Charter", Sybiga was quoted as saying on the ministry's Telegram channel.
The meeting also "focused on next steps to develop bilateral relations and trade" and "discussed plans for further contacts at the highest level", the ministry said.
Wang earlier discussed the war in Ukraine with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the UN General Assembly in New York.
"The two sides exchanged views on the issues including the Ukraine crisis," Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said Thursday.
Wang said bilateral ties had "gone through ups and downs, but the most important thing is that as long as we adhere to permanent good-neighbourly relations... China-Russia ties will move forward".
The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement that the talks were "constructive" and discussed "the prospects of regulating the Ukraine crisis".
China and Russia have strengthened ties in recent years, and bilateral trade has soared to record highs since Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Western governments have accused Beijing of providing political cover and economic support during Russia's war of aggression, a stance rejected by China, which says it has maintained a neutral posture in the conflict.
China and Russia have cultivated what they call a "no-limits" partnership and both oppose what they see as the US-led West's domination of global affairs.
Beijing and Moscow mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will also attend the BRICS summit of emerging economies in Russia next month.
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