Kyiv announced it was withdrawing its forces from the outskirts of the city of Maringa, which Russia claims it has captured.

Ukrainian troops continue to patrol Maringa. Commander-in-Chief of the country's armed forces, General Valery Salushny, told reporters on Tuesday, December 26 that his soldiers “removed” From this small town in southeastern Ukraine, at the center of violent fighting with the Russian military for weeks. Units of the Ukrainian army are stationed on the edge of the city, he said.

“It should not be an outcry that we have gone to the outskirts of Maringa and that in some places we have already crossed the boundaries of the local government.” Before announcing that the city, urged the head of the Ukrainian army “no more” In view of destruction.

Earlier in the day, Moscow claimed to have captured the site. “Maringa (…) area was completely liberated today”Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made the announcement during a televised interview with President Vladimir Putin. “Thanks to the decisive actions of our soldiers, the fort was broken”He congratulated himself on a city described as “A powerful fortified area connected by underground passages” Protects against artillery and air strikes. Maringa has been turned into a stronghold by the Ukrainian military since 2014 and is the start of a conflict with Moscow-led pro-Russian separatists who have seized the city of Donetsk in particular.