KIEV, August 18. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukrainian armed forces have encircled Lugansk and now control several of the city’s districts, spokesman for the Council for National Security and Defence Andrei Lysenko said on Monday.

“Ukrainian military have managed to regain control over some parts of Luhansk,” he said. “The city is almost encircled and the military continue the mission to liberate the city.”

The spokesman said the military had 25 fire contacts with militia in Donetsk and Luhansk in the last 24 hours.

Nine soldiers of the government forces were killed, 20 were wounded, the spokesman said.

ITAR-TASS as yet does not have information from other sources confirming the report.