Russian President Vladimir Putin was briefed on Sunday evening that Russian forces had taken control of Krasnoarmeysk (also known as Pokrovsk) in the Donetsk region and Volchansk in the Kharkov region, the Kremlin said in a statement on Monday.

Krasnoarmeysk, a road and rail hub that had around 60,000 inhabitants before the conflict began, has been under attack from Russian forces for months.

Ukraine has not yet officially commented on Moscow's claim.