Following Russia's weekend capture of the eastern Ukrainian city of Lysychansk, its troops are turning their attention to the city of Sloviansk, the Ukrainian general staff says.
"The Russians are trying to establish control over the villages of Bohorodychne, Dolyna and Mazanivka, in the direction of Sloviansk" the general staff noted in its daily update.
All three villages are located less than 20 kilometres to the north and north-east of Sloviansk, on the south side of the Siversky Donets River.
Russian troops were attempting to push Ukrainian forces back to a new defensive line between the towns of Siversk, Soledar and Bakhmut, according to the report. These three towns are about 30 to 40 kilometres east of the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk urban area, the last remaining Ukrainian military stronghold in the Donbass.
