Russia is claiming it has captured another village in its relentless offensive in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region and as it closes in on the critical Ukrainian logistics hub of Pokrovsk after almost three years of war.

Russian forces are slowly tightening the noose around the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, a key logistical hub whose main supply lines are under threat nearly three years after Moscow invaded its neighbour.

President Donald Trump says his administration has already had “very serious” discussions with Russia about its war in Ukraine and that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin could soon take “significant” action toward ending the grinding conflict.

Moscow’s troops used the same pincer tactic on Velyka Novosilka that has enabled their recent capture of town after town in eastern Ukraine.

Russia’s ability to keep making fuel at the normal pace is looking increasingly precarious following a surge in Ukrainian drone attacks on the nation’s oil refineries, including a fresh incident on Friday.

Ukrainian drones have allegedly attacked the area of an oil refinery and an oil depot in Volgograd. Russian authorities have claimed that falling drone wreckage caused a fire at the oil refinery. Source: BBC News Russian with reference to social media;