Russian forces encircling Ukraine's Sieversk - separatist official cited by TASS

Russian and Russian-backed separatist forces are encircling the town of Sieversk in Ukraine's Donetsk region, the Russian state news agency TASS cited Rodion Miroshnik, ambassador to Moscow of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, as saying on Tuesday.

Sieversk, which is claimed by the Donetsk People's Republic, another breakaway territory that Moscow is trying to prise out of Kyiv's control, lies on the frontline of the battle for Ukraine's eastern Donbas region after Ukrainian troops abandoned the city of Sievierodonetsk last month.