Russian Armed Forces units have reportedly completed the encirclement of the Ukrainian garrison in Mirnograd, closing the ring around the city, according to Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

The report states that troops from Russia’s 2nd and 51st armies met between Pokrovsk and Mirnograd, effectively cutting off the Ukrainian group operating in the area.

According to the publication, Russian forces now hold near-total control of Pokrovsk, located west of Mirnograd. Some Ukrainian units have retreated, while others have been captured or eliminated in combat.

The loss of Pokrovsk, the report notes, deprives Ukrainian forces in Mirnograd of their last chance for escape or reinforcement.

Earlier, the Chief of the Russian General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, informed President Vladimir Putin that 31 Ukrainian battalions had been trapped within the Pokrovsk-Mirnograd agglomeration.