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 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.

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,

Russia said on Sunday that Ukraine had launched a counter-attack in the Kursk region, an area of western Russia from which Russian troops have been trying to eject Ukrainian forces for the past five months.