Kyiv, Ukraine CNN —The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Tuesday it had taken the Ukrainian town of Selydove, southeast of the key city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region. Russian forces have been advancing on Selydove in the last several weeks, according to frontline reports. Selydove was an important staging area for Ukraine’s defenses and a key foothold to prevent Russia’s advance toward Pokrovsk. On Sunday, a spokesman for a Ukrainian national guard brigade fighting in Selydove told CNN the town had been “constantly attacked from several directions” for a week. Selydove is a large town where you can accommodate a large number of people and hide equipment.”Video released by Russian state media TASS on Tuesday reportedly shows troops raising the Russian flag in Selydove.

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Persons: Selydove, Russia’s, “, Vitaliy Milovidov, Kryvyi Rih Organizations: Ukraine CNN, Russian Defense Ministry, CNN, TASS, Russian Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Selydove, Pokrovsk, Donetsk, Ukrainian, “, Russia, Kharkiv, Kryvyi, Ukraine’s, Russian