MOSCOW, July 14 (RIA Novosti) - Independence supporters have surrounded the airport in the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, but it is still controlled by the Ukrainian Army, Luhansk Commandant Sergei Grachev told RIA Novosti.
“The airport is still controlled by the Ukrainian Army, but they are surrounded now,” Grachev said Monday.
According to Grachev, independence supporters managed to destroy one Ukrainian tank on Sunday. Ukrainian troops are currently located about 10 kilometers away from Luhansk.
“The independence supporters have not moved anywhere, we have repelled the attacks, took up our positions. Ukrainian troops are somewhere close to Metallist at the moment,” Grachev added.
Since mid-April, Kiev authorities have been conducting a special military operation in eastern Ukraine to suppress the independence movement. More than 450 civilians died in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics over the past few months as a result of the conflict.
Moscow has repeatedly called on Kiev to immediately stop the violence and to resolve the conflict through peaceful dialogue.
