Russian-backed militants claim control of eastern Ukrainian village: Report

Russian and pro-Russian forces have taken full control of Pisky, a village on the outskirts of the city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, Russia’s TASS news agency has reported, citing Donetsk forces.

“That the village itself [Pisky] is under our control, it can be said with certainty,” TASS quoted Ilya Yemelyanov, a deputy commander of the self-proclaimed of the Donetsk People’s Republic’s people’s militia, as saying.

The Ukrainian military said on Thursday that Russian forces had mounted at least two assaults on Pisky but had been repelled.