Russia says its forces have captured the key city of Kurakhove in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region.
The town has suffered from Russian development in recent months and is a stepping stone to the important center of Pokrovsk.
Ukraine has not acknowledged the fall of Kurakhove, which is 35 kilometers (21 miles) south of Pokrovsk.
Fierce fighting has been going on in the Kursk region of Russia for the past few days Ukraine launched an attack per week.
A photo taken on social media and provided by the Reuters news agency appears to show a soldier raising a Russian flag in Kurakhove. The image has never been verified by the BBC.
Viktor Trehubov, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military command in Khortytsia, told Reuters news agency that, as of Monday morning, Ukrainian troops were still fighting Russian forces inside Kurakhove.
Kurakhove is connected to Pokrovsk by roads that are part of the infrastructure for moving troops and supplies forward.
Taking Kurakhove would allow the Russians to go north and attack Pokrovsk from a new vantage point, said analyst Roman Pohorily.
The Russian Ministry of Defense also said on Monday that the village of Dachenske, 8 kilometers south of Pokrovsk, was captured by its forces.
Kyiv's military is reportedly undermanned and has been losing ground in eastern Ukraine in recent months, as Russian forces advance.
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