The Ukrainian forces 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.

The former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov noted that Putin insisted that he will defend the new Russian Federation sovereign territories with “all means” required, which is a further threat to use nuclear weapons.

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Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has also warned that any region which is annexed by Moscow will come “under full protection,” meaning an attack on those areas is an attack on Russian soil.

Lavrov said, “All of the laws, doctrines, concepts and strategies of the Russian Federation apply to all of its territory,” referring specifically to Russia’s doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons.

The spokesman of the Eastern Group Forces, Serhiy Cherevaty said on Saturday morning, Ukrainian forces have successfully “surrounded the Russian grouping in the area of Lyman,” Donetsk region, five settlements near the city have now been “liberated.”

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.”

In an address to the nation on 21 September, Putin gave a chilling warning, “If there is a threat to the territorial integrity of our country, and in protecting our people we will certainly use all means to us – and I’m not bluffing.

“Those trying to blackmail us with nuclear weapons should know that the tables can turn on them.”

He continued, “Citizens of Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia and other areas free from the Nazi regime.

“We will be talking about the steps of protecting our sovereignty, support of the will and desire of our citizens to decide their will themselves.”