Ukraine’s eastern city of Lysychansk is at the centre of competing claims, with both Russian and Ukrainian forces saying they are in control.
Ukraine says its forces are enduring intense Russian shelling in the city, yet, insists the it has not been seized.
However, Russian-backed separatists claimed they have successfully entered the city and reached its centre.
Russian media showed videos of separatist or Russian forces apparently parading through the streets.
Russian sources have also tweeted video of the Soviet flag allegedly being placed on the city’s ruined administrative centre, but that has not been verified.
It is the last Ukrainian-held city in Luhansk, part of the industrial Donbas region. Russia captured the nearby city of Severodonetsk last month.
The governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, said there had been no let-up in the assault on Lysychansk, with Russian forces approaching the besieged city from all sides.
Rodion Miroshnik, Ambassador to Russia of the pro-Moscow breakaway Luhansk People’s Republic, told Russian television that Lysychansk had been “brought under control” but was “not yet liberated”.
BBC