DONETSK, January 20. /TASS/. Russian forces have liberated Kleshcheyevka, a suburb of Artymovsk (known as Bakhmut in Ukraine) in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the DPR territorial defense headquarters reported on Friday.

"As of January 20, Russian troops have liberated Kleshcheyevka on DPR territory," the headquarters said on their Telegram channel.

The locality of Kleshcheyevka has been placed under full control of Wagner units, the private military company quoted its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin as saying on Thursday.

Earlier, Colonel Vitaly Kiselyov, a military expert from the Lugansk People’s Republic, said control of Kleshcheyevka, located south of Artyomovsk, would play a strategic role in intensifying the offensive toward the city.