Russia's defense ministry says it destroys Ukraine's 'last warship', takes positions near Avdiivka.

Russia's defense ministry said on Wednesday (May 31) that its forces had destroyed what it described as Ukraine's "last warship" two days ago in the port of Odesa in a missile strike, though there was no immediate comment from Kyiv on the fate of the vessel.

"The last warship of the Ukrainian navy, the Yuriy Olefirenko, was destroyed at a warship mooring in the port of Odesa," Defence Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a daily briefing on the war.

He said the vessel had been hit with "high-precision weapons" on May 29, but gave no further details.

Ukraine's armed forces did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ukrainian officials said on Monday that Russia had put five aircraft out of action in an attack on a military target in western Ukraine and caused a fire at the Black Sea port of Odesa in heavy air strikes early on Monday.

Reuters was unable to independently verify the battlefield accounts of either side.

The Russian defense ministry also said on Wednesday that its forces had pushed Ukrainian units out of positions around the settlements of Krasnohorivka and Yasynuvata in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, which Moscow claimed as its own in September 2022 after referendums condemned as a sham by the vast majority of the international community.

The ministry said "fierce fighting" was continuing around Avdiivka, a large town located between the two settlements, which has been largely razed to the ground during months of fighting.

The Sun newspaper brings you the latest breaking news videos and explainers from the UK and around the world

Become a Sun Subscriber and hit the bell to be the first to know

Read The Sun: www.thesun.co.uk

Like The Sun on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thesun/

Follow The Sun on Twitter: twitter.com/TheSun

Subscribe to The Sun on Snapchat: www.snapchat.com/discover/The_Sun/1633225139

#russia #ukraine #war