Russian army advancing 'in all directions' in Ukraine - Moscow

Russia's army is advancing "in all directions" in Ukraine, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed on Friday. 

His comments come as Russian forces ramp up pressure on the eastern front, following Kyiv's largely unsuccessful summer counteroffensive.

“Our military is acting with competence and determination, occupying a more favourable position, and expanding its zones of control in all directions,” said Shoigu.

Combat abilities of Ukraine were "significantly reduced" after their counteroffensive, he added.

Euronews cannot verify these claims. 

The Ukrainian counteroffensive, launched in June after months of preparation, has stalled in the south and east, without significant progress. 

Hopes for a breakthrough are fading, with the arrival of winter making military movements problematic. 

Since the beginning of autumn, Russian forces have shown they still can launch attacks, relentlessly assaulting Avdiivka in northern Donetsk. 

The frontline city, briefly captured in 2014 by pro-Russian separatists, has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance, with its around 1,000 remaining inhabitants mostly living below ground.

Moscow's army has "considerably increased" its activity around Avdiivka in recent days, Oleksandr Tarnavsky, the Ukrainian commander responsible for the area, said on Wednesday.

On Friday, he insisted Ukraine's troops were "firmly holding the lines", inflicting significant losses on the Russians, who were launching, according to him, human wave attacks. 

Russia has lost a considerable amount of men and equipment in similar attacks over the past 21 months, particularly in Bakhmut and Vuhledar.

This week Moscow claimed it had captured a small village near the eastern city of Bakhmut, which was seized by the Russian