Information about the so-called capture by Russia-led militants of Ukrainian soldiers and equipment near Donetsk is more "fake news" generated by the Russian propaganda machine, the press service of Ukraine's Defense Ministry said on Friday.

"In light of the dissemination by several Internet news media of a video report purporting to document the so-called capture of Ukrainian soldiers and military equipment near Donetsk, we declare that this information does not correspond with reality. The video uploaded on January 10 to one of the propaganda Russian television stations chronicling the latest developments in Donbas is, in fact, two-year old footage of events in Debaltseve," the statement says.

The press service says the aim of Russian propaganda specialists in publishing the material is to "raise the low morale of combined Russian-separatist forces in Donbas."

"We ask Ukrainian journalists to be vigilant and not to disseminate the 'fake news' put out by the enemy," the press release says.