Russia Says Lyman Is Under Its Full Control
Russia's defence ministry says the city in the Donetsk region has fallen under the full control of Russian and Russian-backed forces.
It comes a day after pro-Russian separatists from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic said they had fully captured the town, a railway hub west of Severodonetsk.
"Following the joint actions of the units of the militia of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Russian armed forces, the town of Lyman has been entirely liberated from Ukrainian nationalists," the defence ministry said in a statement.
On Friday, Ukraine said that Russia had captured most of Lyman but that its forces were blocking an advance to Sloviansk, a city a half-hour drive further southwest.
Lyman is strategically important because as it gives access to important rail and road bridges over the Siversky Donets River.
(Source: BBC)