MOSCOW - Russia's Defence Ministry said on Thursday that its forces had taken control of the village of Maksymilianivka, less than 10 km (6 miles) from the key city of Kurakhove in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.

       Reuters could not independently confirm the battlefield report.

       The Kurakhove sector, west of the Russian-held regional centre of Donetsk, is one of the focal points of Russia's steady advance through the region. Russia has been pressing to reach the logistical hub of Pokrovsk, about 50 km to the north.

       The General Staff of Ukraine's military, in a late evening report, said Ukrainian forces had repelled 36 of 45 battles near Kurakhove over 24 hours. Nine clashes were still going on.

       Popular Ukrainian military blog DeepState showed control of Maksymilianivka to be contested.

       The report said 35 of 45 attempted Russian advances had been repelled in the Pokrovsk sector. REUTERS