Russia's defense ministry said Saturday it had taken "full control" of the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, following a hasty withdrawal by Kyiv's forces, APA reports citing Russian Defense Ministry.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin that his troops had seized "full control ... of Avdiivka in the Donetsk People's Republic, which was a powerful defensive hub for the Ukrainian armed forces," the ministry said in a statement.