Russia takes control of Ocheretyne village in Ukraine's east -defence ministry

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian forces have taken control of the village of Ocheretyne, in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Sunday.

The village, which lies northwest of the onetime Ukrainian stronghold of Avdiivka which Russia captured in February, had a pre-war population of around 3,000.

There was no comment from Ukrainian officials and no mention of Ocheretnye in the evening report of the Armed Forces General Staff.

Unofficial Ukrainian war bloggers, including the popular Deep State Map site, indicated that Russia was in control of the village.

Russia has made slow but steady advances since taking Avdiivka, with a string of villages in the area falling to Moscow's forces.

(Writing by Felix Light; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Ron Popeski and Diane Craft)