Russia makes new gains in Donbass - MOD | 2 June 2024 | Russian forces have captured the Donbass village of Umanskoye, which is located several kilometers north of a strategically important highway near the city of Donetsk, and west of Avdeevka, the Defense Ministry has said. The ministry confirmed the settlement was taken by unspecified units of the Russian "Center" group of troops on Saturday. Numerous Russian and Ukrainian telegram channels had claimed that Moscow’s forces had already secured Umanskoye in late May, reporting the presence of a Russian motorized brigade in the area. As early as May 9, several Russian Telegram channels posted a video purporting to show a Soviet victory banner flying over Umanskoye. Other clips claimed to show intense fighting in the area, including artillery and drone strikes on Ukrainian trenches.