MOSCOW, January 24. /TASS/. The noose is tightening around Ukraine’s forces with a single road to Artyomovsk remaining available as all other routes have been cut off, Acting DPR Head Denis Pushilin revealed on Russian TV Tuesday.

"Undoubtedly, here we have to speak carefully; we can derive more from Ukrainian resources, […] and, according to them, there is just one road left that makes it possible to reach Artyomovsk relatively safely," he noted.

Pushilin specified that other supply routes had been closed off after the liberation of Soledar.

"Our guys are advancing, and now toward Artyomovsk we are seeing important changes," Pushilin said. He noted that the community of Krasnopolyevka had been cleared yesterday, with a mop-up of Dvurechye underway.

"As far as we are concerned, the heights around Klescheyevka were certainly important; this made it possible to gain operational control over the supply routes for Seversk and Artyomovsk," Pushilin added.

On January 20, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the liberation of the DPR settlement of Klescheyevka. The following day, the ministry said that volunteer assault teams, supported by aviation and artillery, liberated Dvurechye. On January 23, the Defense Ministry said that volunteers, backed by air and artillery power, liberated the DPR hamlet of Krasnopolye.