MOSCOW, April 11. /TASS/. Large groups of Ukrainian soldiers are surrendering near Avdeyevka, an adviser to acting leader of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Denis Pushilin reported on Tuesday.

"Exactly [near Avdeyevka], there are lots of Ukrainian servicemen who have been surrendering," Igor Kimakovsky told Channel One television.

Russian forces have been pushing forward in the Avdeyevka area and they have successfully blocked the road to the town to worsen the position of the Ukrainian troops there, Pushilin said on Monday.

Avdeyevka is a town with a population of about 30,000. During the conflict in Donbass, Ukrainian forces turned it into a major stronghold. From Avdeyevka, Ukrainian artillery shells Donetsk, Makeyevka, Yasinovataya and the environs.