Russia said on Monday its forces had made important gains in eastern Ukraine while continuing to fend off a new Ukrainian offensive inside the Kursk region of western Russia, where a second day of fierce fighting was under way.

Russian forces continue to make costly but consistent gains in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. They are steadily grinding down a pocket of resistance around the town of Kurakhove and are also fighting to envelop the larger nearby city of Pokrovsk, Ukrainian soldiers and officials said.

The Defense Ministry of Russia recently announced that the nation’s forces made significant gains in Eastern Ukraine—while Ukrainian invading forces are still proving themselves to be a bit of a challenge on Vladimir Putin‘s home turf.

Russia said on Monday its forces had made important gains in eastern Ukraine while continuing to fend off a new Ukrainian offensive inside the Kursk region of western Russia, where a second day of fierce fighting was under way.

The Russian Defense Ministry described Kurakhove as a "fortified area" and "key logistics hub," while Ukraine's military reported ongoing combat there on Jan. 6. Read also: Kurakhove turns into a battlefield graveyard for Russian troops Russian forces are conducting assaults in Kurakhove and advancing toward Petropavlivka and Dachny,