After stubbornly staying on in the east Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, the 69-year-old is now heeding advice and preparing to leave. “My heart stops when I hear a bang,” she tell

Russian forces are advancing in eastern Ukraine in an attempt to take the whole of the Donbas, a region as big as half of Ohio.

As Russian forces push deeper into eastern Ukraine in their bid to seize the entire Donetsk region, RFE/RL photographer Serhiy Nuzhnenko captures the intense efforts of an artillery unit defending the strategic city of Pokrovsk.

Russia announced it has taken full control of Novohrodivka, a town in eastern Ukraine, advancing towards the key city of Pokrovsk. The Ukrainian military described the situation as tense, with battles ongoing in multiple locations.

Russia announced Sunday the capture of Novohrodivka, a town located 7 miles from the strategically important city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine. This

Russia said on Sunday its forces had taken full control of a town in eastern Ukraine as they advance on the strategically important city of Pokrovsk and seek to pierce the Ukrainian defensive front lines.

Reinforced Ukrainian defenders in a key location on the front have halted what had been relentless Russian advances in eastern Ukraine, according to soldiers and battlefield maps. But Russia continued to advance elsewhere,