Russia's defence ministry said Sunday  its forces had captured a village in the northeastern Kharkiv region.

Russian troops "as a result of successful combat actions liberated the settlement of Berestove in the Kharkiv region," the ministry said.

Berestove is located on the eastern front line close to the Lugansk region, which is almost entirely under Russian control.

Russia this month launched an offensive in the north of the Kharkiv region close to the Russian border, making its largest territorial advances for 18 months.

Ukraine said Friday that it had managed to stop Russia from advancing further and was counter-attacking, but that Moscow was now intensifying its assault at other parts of the front.