Russia claims control of the important town of Selydove in the Donetsk region.

(CLO) The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday that it had captured the Ukrainian town of Selydove, located southeast of the important city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region.

Selydove was once a key point in Ukraine's defense system and played a crucial role in preventing Russian advances toward Pokrovsk. Currently, Ukrainian officials have not commented on the Russian claim.

Images released by Russian state media on Tuesday showed troops hoisting the Russian flag in Selydove.

On Sunday, a spokesman for the Ukrainian National Guard forces fighting in Selydove said the town had been under "continuous attack from multiple directions" for the past week.

Vitaliy Milovidov, spokesman for the 15th National Guard Brigade, said: "Russia continues its offensive with large numbers of troops. They have used reserve forces from the north of the Pokrovsk line to increase pressure on Selydove."

He added: "At the same time, the enemy did not destroy the town's infrastructure. It is very likely they wanted to keep Selydove as a strategic point for the future. Selydove is a large town, capable of housing many people and storing equipment."

The Russian news agency TASS published a video on Tuesday showing Russian troops raising their flag in Selydove.

Russia also continued its airstrikes on Ukrainian cities on Monday night and Tuesday morning, killing at least nine Ukrainians and injuring 46 others in various parts of the country.

In the Odesa region, a 71-year-old man was killed by debris from a intercepted Russian missile, which had been launched from a fighter jet over the Black Sea.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, a Russian bomb destroyed much of the Derzhprom building – a significant cultural landmark due to its modern architecture.

Cao Phong (according to CNN, TASS)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nga-tuyen-bo-kiem-soat-thi-tran-quan-trong-selydove-o-vung-donetsk-post319121.html