LUGANSK, May 18. /TASS/. Russian forces, by liberating the Staritsa settlement in the Kharkov Region, fully cut off supplies of ammunition and reserves to Ukrainian troops in the city of Volchansk, State Duma lawmaker Viktor Vodolatsky told TASS.

"The liberation of the village of Staritsa has an important military and tactical significance because we completely close off the supply of reserves and ammunition to their remaining part of Volchansk by blocking the roads from the north. And most importantly, we are developing an offensive against the settlements from which, according to recent reports, the Belgorod Region is being shelled," he said.

Vodolatsky said the liberation of Staritsa would make it possible to reduce to a minimum and later completely remove the threat of bombardments for the Belgorod Region.

He also said civilians living in the Kharkov Region are waiting for the Russian army in order to "break free from the Nazis" as soon as possible.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry said that units of the Russian battlegroup North had liberated the village of Staritsa and continued advancing deeper into the enemy's defense.