Putin says Russian forces improved positions in Ukraine

MOSCOW, Oct 15 (Reuters) – Russian forces are conducting an ‘active defence’ and have been able to improve their positions at almost entire line of contact in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday.

“What is happening now along the entire length of the [line of] contact is called ‘an active defence’,” Putin said in video remarks posted to social media by a Kremlin journalist Pavel Zarubin.

“And our troops are improving their position at almost entire area. Quite a large area.”

Fighting in Avdiivka on the eastern frontline entered a fifth day as Russia continued to deploy new forces in an attempt to surround the city, according to Vitaliy Barabash, the head of its military administration.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had shot down two Ukrainian drones over the Black Sea near the southern resort city of Sochi on Saturday morning. The city’s mayor, Alexei Kopaigorodskyi, said there had been no casualties or damage and that the situation was under control.

A top Ukraine general said fighting in the north-east had “significantly worsened” as daily Russian attacks continued.