Russian armed forces managed to penetrate briefly into the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kupyansk, AFP reported, citing local authorities.
Kupyansk, which lies east of Kharkiv, was captured by Russia shortly after its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but was retaken by the Ukrainian army in a counter-offensive later that year.
The brief Russian breakthrough in Kupyansk comes against the background of the progress of Russian forces on the eastern front in recent months, which has accelerated since October, according to AFP.
Before the start of the war, about 27 thousand inhabitants lived in the city in the Kharkiv region.
"Yesterday the situation was really very difficult - with multiple Russian attacks," the head of the municipal military administration Andrii Besedin told AFP.
He assured that after Russian infantrymen managed to "infiltrate" in the city, they were "destroyed", along with the vehicles they used.
"Today the situation in the city of Kupyansk and the municipality is under control, there are no Russian troops or equipment, Besedin added.
The Ukrainian army also assured that Kupyansk is fully under the control of its forces.
In the first days of the February 2022 invasion, Russian forces occupied Kupyansk. Ukraine took back control of the city in September of that year in a counter-offensive that allowed it to retake large swaths of Kharkiv Oblast.
In recent months, Ukrainian authorities have issued several mandatory evacuation orders for civilians as Russian troops once again close in on Kupyansk and surrounding areas.
"Since September 2022, the enemy has been trying to capture the city and the municipality, but without success”, Besedin said and expressed confidence that the Ukrainian forces will be able to hold Kupyansk.
According to Besedin, about 4,000 civilians still live in Kupyansk and its surroundings.