Russia said Monday it captured an east Ukrainian mining village south of Pokrovsk, home to one of Ukraine’s most important coal mines and where Russian troops have reached the outskirts.

Russian forces have been edging towards Pokrovsk, an important eastern hub, since the summer.

Moscow’s defence ministry said troops took the village of Pishchane, around eight kilometres (five miles) south-west of Pokrovsk, which Russia has been trying to seize for months.

Last month, Ukraine’s main steelmaker Metinvest and the owner of the Pishchane mine said it had halted operations there and evacuated personnel.

The shaft in Pishchane provided around half of Metinvest’s total Ukrainian coal extraction.