Russian forces in the Donetsk region town of Lyman are on the brink of encirclement following Ukrainian gains to their north and east, pro-Russian military bloggers have said.

The claims could not be immediately verified, but the reported Ukrainian gains appeared to match images and videos released on social media by Ukrainian soldiers.

The fall of the town would be another military set-back for Russia and position the Ukrainians to push into Luhansk region, reversing the hard-won gains of Russia’s summer offensive in Donbas.

It could be even more damaging politically, demonstrating that Russia has failed to stabilise its defensive line following the loss of Izyum and Kupyansk earlier this month.

Read more: yahoo