On Friday Ukrainian forces had encircled all the main supply routes of the Russian stronghold of Lyman and on Saturday Ukrainian authorities said they have now entered the town of Lyman, and Moscow has been told if they want their 5,500 troops back then they will have to appeal.

Lyman is in the Donetsk region and has up until now been used as vital logistical hub for weaponry and food for the Russian troops.

Serhii Cherevatyi, a military spokesperson told public broadcaster Suspilne, “All the approaches and logistic routes of the enemy, through which they delivered ammunition and manpower, are in fact under fire control (of Ukraine).”

The Ukrainian Presidential adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak warned, “Today (Russia) will have to ask for an exit from Lyman. Only if, of course, those in (the) Kremlin are concerned with their soldiers.”

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A unverified video on social media shows a smiling Ukrainian soldier saying, “well my kittens, Yampil is ours!” referring to a village near the Lyman stronghold.

On Saturday Ukrainian authorities confirmed they have now “liberated” five areas in the Donetsk region and “stabilisation measures” are in place.

The Eastern Group Forces group have retaken the settlements of Yampil, Novoselivka, Shandryholove, Drobysheve, Stavky in eastern Ukraine which will be a major blow for Vladimir Putin which could now see the war escalate.

Following the signing of the decree in the Kremlin making the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine were formally announced as part of the Russian Federation on Friday.

Cherevaty said, “The Russian grouping in the Lyman area is surrounded.

“The settlements of Yampil, Novoselivka, Shandryholove, Drobysheve, Stavky have been liberated, stabilization measures are continuing there.”

The spokesman then went on to say that the exact number of Russians who are completely “surrounded” in the Lyman area will become known later after analysis, but the data indicated “somewhere around 5,000-5,500 troops.”

He added, “There, indeed, our data showed that the Russian group numbered in the region of 5,000-5,500. But active hostilities erased their combat strength, as well as some groups that tried to break through.”

Military analyst Konrad Muzyka told The Moscow Times, “Even if the city isn’t already enveloped, all the routes or roads out of the city are under Ukrainian artillery fire.

“Without Russian reinforcements, the city and the entire area is going to fall to Ukraine.”