DONETSK, February 15. /TASS/. A part of the Ukrainian battlegroup near Donetsk has been encircled by Russian troops, adviser to the head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Igor Kimakovsky told TASS on Thursday.

"The battlegroup of the Ukrainian armed forces has been cut off near Donetsk and part of it is under dense gunfire control and is actually encircled," he said.

The Ukrainian military is attempting to leave some positions and is sustaining casualties, he added.