Russia Claims to have Taken Control of a Key City in Ukraine's East.

On Sunday, Defense Ministry of Russia in a Telegram Post said that their forces and their separatist allies have captured Lysychansk, a major city in Ukraine's Luhansk region. It further said that they have also captured nearby settlements.

According to the Washington Post, Lysychansk was a key target for Russia as it sought to capture the Donbas region, which is partially controlled by Ukrainian separatists.

Initially, Ukraine's defence ministry spokesman Yuriy Sak refuted Russia's claims, telling the BBC that the city was not under Russia's "full control." Sak described the situation in Lysychansk as "intense," with Russian forces "attacking the city nonstop."

"For Ukrainians, the value of human life is a top priority, so sometimes we may retreat from certain areas so that we can retake them in the future," he said. Ukraine's General Staff later confirmed that defense forces were "forced to withdraw from their occupied positions and boundaries."

The Department said, "We continue the struggle. Unfortunately, steel will and patriotism are not enough for success — material and technical resources are needed. The defenders of Luhansk region and other regions of our country heroically perform their civil and military duties. We will be back and we will definitely win!"