Ukraine’s military announced Friday that it had re-captured Andriivka village, located about 13 kilometers (8 miles) south of the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk, in the eastern Donetsk oblast.
Andriivka, the frontline town that was occupied in May after a months-long siege by Russian troops and mercenaries.
Kyiv’s forces have pushed back around the flanks of the city as part of the Ukrainian counter-offensive that began in June.
Ukrainian soldiers retook Andrivka during assault operations, inflicting “significant losses in the manpower and equipment” of Russian forces, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on its Facebook page.
Ukrainian forces are trying to consolidate their positions in the re-captured territory, it added.
There was confusion about Andriivka’s fate on Thursday after Ukraine’s Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar said the village was “ours” before the claim was rejected by soldiers.
An assault brigade fighting in the eastern Donetsk region said the statement was premature and that “important battles” continued in Andriivka. Ms Malyar backtracked, blaming a communications failure.
The soldiers also had “partial success” in Klishchiivka, another village located south of Bakhmut, where Ukraine claims it is making the biggest advances on the eastern front.
Since starting a counteroffensive in June, Ukraine has recovered about 50 kilometers around Bakhmut.
