Ukraine's armed forces commander General Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Thursday he had ordered defences to be strengthened in the eastern Donetsk region, a day after Kyiv forces announced they had withdrawn from the town of Vuhledar.

Ukrainian military officials and lawmakers say the front-line town of Vuhledar has fallen after more than two years of intense fighting.

Ukraine's military officials say forces are withdrawing from the front-line town of Vuhledar, perched atop a tactically significant hill in eastern Ukraine, after more than two years of grinding battle.

Russia's Defence Ministry on Thursday confirmed reports that its forces had taken control of the eastern Ukrainian town of Vuhledar, crediting what it called decisive action taken by units in its "East" military grouping.

Ukraine's military says it is pulling out of Vuhledar in eastern Ukraine after more than two years of intense fighting

Vuhledar fell to Russian troops this week after Ukrainian forces were forced to withdraw to preserve lives and military equipment after more than two years of bombardment.

Both Russian and Ukrainian experts say that the strategic loss of Vuhledar does not radically transform the military situation in eastern Ukraine

The commander of the 186th Battalion of the 123rd Ukrainian Territorial Defence Brigade, Igor Hryba, allegedly committed suicide. The reason may have been his battalion's refusal to follow orders and subsequent abandonment of their positions near Vuhledar.