DONETSK, January 16. /TASS/. The militia of the self-proclaimed Donetsk people’s republic has taken the Donetsk international airport and its vicinities under control, the DPR’s Defense Ministry said on Friday.

“Today we can say that we control the territory of the Donetsk airport and its vicinities,” a ministry spokesman was quoted by the official Donetsk news agency as saying.

The ministry said some 10 Ukrainian troops are still staying in the building of the new terminal of the airport, but they have stopped offering resistance and are expected to leave the airport through a corridor.

Donetsk republic’s chief negotiator Denis Pushilin said on Wednesday that the self-defense forces had opened up a corridor to the Ukrainian military’s withdrawal from the Donetsk airport.

Pushilin stressed that this is a “good will gesture” on the part of the DPR.

The Defense Ministry of the self-proclaimed republic said on Thursday Ukraine’s troops were gradually leaving their positions near the airport.