Ukraine forces encircle Russian troop grouping near Lyman

Ukrainian defenders surrounded a group of Russian troops in the Lyman area. Currently, five settlements have been liberated, and stabilization measures are underway.

This was announced by the speaker of the Eastern Group of Forces Serhiy Cherevaty on the air of the all-Ukrainian news telethon on Saturday, October 1, according to RBC-Ukraine.

“The Russian grouping in the Lyman area is surrounded. The settlements of Yampol, Novoselovka, Shandrigolovo, Drobyshevo, and Stavki have been liberated, stabilization measures are continuing there,” he said.

He also confirmed that “about 5-5.5 thousand” Russian troops were initially encircled in the Lyman region.

"Our data showed that indeed the Russian grouping there (in the Lyman area - ed.) numbered around 5-5.5 thousand. However, active combat operations "zeroed out" their combat strength, as well as some groups trying to break through. That is, establishing the exact number of Russians still requires analysis to give an exact figure," Cherevaty explains.

According to him, attempts of Russians to "break through" are still being recorded, but they are not too successful due to the actions of the AFU.

The spokesman for the Eastern Group of Forces explains that Lyman is important because it is another step towards the liberation of the Ukrainian Donbas and an opportunity to go further to Kremenna and Severodonetsk.

"This is also a psychologically important moment. Because the AFU is beginning to dictate its will, not only to fight back and stand in defence, but also to reverse the course of combat operations," Cherevaty said.