KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine's military on Thursday reported "partial success" in fighting in the southeast and east, where it said its troops were continuing to conduct offensive operations.

Kyiv's forces, which began a military push against Russian forces this month, were reinforcing the positions they reached after attacking towards the southeastern villages of Rivnopil and Staromayorske, said General Staff spokesman Andriy Kovaliov.

The two villages in Donetsk region lie near a string of small settlements recaptured by Ukraine earlier this month.

Kovaliov, in remarks reported by Ukraine's Military Media Center, also said Kyiv's troops were attacking towards the small settlements of Bilohorivka and Dibrova in the east.

"Particularly heavy fighting continues in the (eastern) Lyman direction in the areas northwest of Dibrova, near Serebryansk forestry and north of Hryhorivka in the Donetsk region," he was quoted as saying.

Ukrainian troops were also resisting Russian attacks in the areas of Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mariinka, he said.

(Reporting by Tom Balmforth and Aleksandar Vasovic; editing by Timothy heritage)