Russian military vehicles move in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces in Ukraine. AP

Ukraine announced on Wednesday that Russian forces had pushed deeper into the east of the country and captured several villages, as part of Moscow's offensive to take control of Donbas.

The defence ministry said that Russian forces had pushed out Kyiv's army from Velyka Komyshuvakha and Zavody in the Kharkiv region and had gained control over Zarichne and Novotoshkivske in the Donetsk region.

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Meanwhile, Russia’s state-controlled natural gas giant Gazprom says it has cut gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria after they have refused to pay for the shipments in rubles.

Gazprom said in a statement that it hasn’t received any payments since April 1 from Poland and Bulgaria and was suspending deliveries to them starting Wednesday.

It warned that if they siphon gas intended for other European customers, the deliveries to Europe will be reduced to that amount.

The move follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order to switch to rubles in payments for the Russian gas supplied to Europe.