LUGANSK, June 20./ITAR-TASS/. The self-defence forces of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic are controlling the checkpoints of Izvarino, Dolzhanskoye and Krasnyi Partizan on the Ukrainian-Russian border, Valery Bolotov, the head of the Luhansk People’s Republic, told ITAR-TASS on Friday.

“The area in the outskirts of the Metallist village, the Sverdlovsk district and the Izvarino district were the center of military hostilities on Friday. We have retained our control over the border checkpoints of Izvarino, Dolzhanskoye and Krasnyi Partizan. These are the checkpoints which we controlled yesterday,” Bolotov stressed.

The self-defence forces destroyed several armored vehicles, including tanks, in the battles near Izvarino.

“Our losses are minimal,” Bolotov said.

Earlier on Friday, the Ukrainian leadership reported that Ukrainian troopers had restored control over the country’s eastern border with Russia. However, Ukraine’s Security Council and representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics have refuted that information.