MOSCOW, January 23. /TASS/. Russian forces have practically fully taken major heights around the settlement of Kleshcheyevka south of Artyomovsk (called Bakhmut in Ukraine), acting Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Denis Pushilin said in a live broadcast on the Rossiya-24 television channel on Monday.

"There were major heights around [Kleshcheyevka] and they are also already being practically controlled by Wagner units," he said.

The seizure of heights near that community offers certain advantages, in particular, for operational control of the Ukrainian army’s supply routes, he said.

"It is important for us to fully cut off the Seversk-Artyomovsk supply routes, which will also provide additional opportunities for our units," the DPR leader said.

Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported last week that Russian forces had liberated the community of Kleshcheyevka from Ukrainian troops.