KYIV, Ukraine — Russian troops on Wednesday took charge of the eastern Ukrainian town of Vuhledar, a bastion that had resisted intense attacks since Russia launched its full-scale assault in 2022. Russian Telegram channels, however, published video of troops waving the Russian tricolor flag over shattered buildings. Russia has been using pincer tactics to trap and then constrict Ukrainian strongholds. Russian bloggers said Russia could now try to push towards Velyka Novosilka, just over 20 miles to the west. Russian forces currently control 98.5% of the Luhansk region and 60% of the Donetsk region.

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