Russia on Sunday claimed its troops had captured a strategically important town in eastern Ukraine, as part of a grinding campaign to weaken Kyiv’s grip on the country’s industrial heartland.

Troops from North Korea appear to have fallen back from Russia's frontline after suffering heavy losses when engaging Ukrainian forces.

Ukrainian war correspondent Yuriy Butusov published a video showcasing the equipment of a lieutenant colonel from North Korea who was killed during the fighting in the Kursk region. The equipment found with the military officer is considered by the Ukrainian to be evidence of the North Koreans’ good preparation for combat.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claims that Russian troops have fought their way into the center of a strategically important eastern Ukraine town and raised the Russian flag there after a monthslong battle.