Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed without evidence that Russian forces have taken control of Ukrainian cities Pokrovsk and Vovchansk.

President Vladimir Putin thanked the Russian army on Thursday after commanders told him that their forces had taken full control of the town of Siversk in eastern Ukraine, but Ukraine's military said it remained in control there.

Dressed head to toe in army fatigues, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday received the news he had been awaiting for more than a year: Russia had taken over the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk.

Ukraine’s top negotiator is scheduled on Thursday to meet in Florida with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, two days after the American's high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, according to a senior administration official.

The Trump Administration has claimed that it’s nearing a deal to end the war, but, for now, the conflict’s essential impasse still holds: Moscow won’t accept what Kyiv can stomach.

BISHKEK, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that outline draft peace proposals discussed by the United States and Ukraine could become the basis of future agreements to end the conflict in Ukraine, but that if not Russia would fight on.

Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday for high-stakes talks on ending the war in Ukraine.The meeting -- preceded by days of frenzied diplomacy from Florida to Geneva to Abu Dhabi -- comes as Washington said it was "very optimistic" about ending Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War II.

Five hours of talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and top United States negotiators did not yield a breakthrough compromise on a possible Ukraine peace deal, a Kremlin aide said early Wednesday.

At least three oil tankers have been hit by explosions in what appears to be a stepped up unilateral effort by Ukraine to sink Russia's sanctions-dodging oil sales.