Russian forces take control of Andriivka near Bakhmut, defence ministry says
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Defence Ministry said on Thursday that its forces had taken control of the village of Andriivka, southwest of Bakhmut in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.
The Ukrainian General Staff said later that its troops were repelling three Russian assaults in the area of Andriivka and Novyi.
Andriivka was liberated by Ukrainian troops last September during a counteroffensive that largely struggled to break through Russian defensive lines.
The Ukrainian military has said that Russia is now concentrating its main offensive push on the front line in Ukraine's east.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Felix Light and Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Philippa Fletcher)