LUGANSK, June 24. /TASS/. Around 600 Ukrainian troops have surrendered to the allied forces near Lisichansk, Vitaly Kiselev, an aide to the interior minister of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), said on Friday.

"I think some 600 people, along with those wounded, have surrendered near Lisichansk. Most of Ukrainian troops have fled via Mirnaya Dolina (a settlement some 17 kilometers of Lisichansk - TASS) to Lisichansk. Much more have been killed," he told TASS.

Earlier, Kiselev said that LPR and Russian forces may close the pocket around Lisichansk from the westerly direction by the end of the day on June 24.