11 Aug 2014 20:00

Donetsk, Luhansk nearly fully encircled by army - Kyiv

KYIV. Aug 11 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian army has "nearly finished" encircling Donetsk and Luhansk, and "fierce battles are underway for the area that separates these two regions," National Security and Defense Council spokesman Andriy Lysenko said on Monday.

The council had advised the population of the two besieged cities to leave, or, if they could not, to reserve of water, food and medicines, stay indoors, take special care of their children, and avoid unnecessary use of mobile phones in order to save power for emergency calls, Lysenko told a briefing in Kyiv.