By Olena Harmash KYIV (Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy replaced the commander of the eastern front, the most heated battlefield of the Ukraine war, after Russian forces captured another strategic town there.

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.

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.

Russia has lost about twice as many men to death and serious injury as Ukraine. But the trends favor the Kremlin.

Putin’s forces claim capture of strategic town as Zelensky makes demand for Trump talks to end war - Separate Mechanised Brigade confirms withdrawing strategically from some area to avoid encirclement

Continuing their relentless advance on the Ukrainian front lines, Russian forces have captured the town of Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk region. Moscow's Defense Ministry stated that Russian troops had "liberated" the settlement,