LUHANSK, Ukraine. June 16 (Interfax) - The leader of the "Luhansk People's Republic" on Sunday said Ukrainian government forces were trying to "cut off" the unilaterally proclaimed republic's militia from the Russian frontier.
"The Kyiv junta is tightening the circle around the Luhansk People's Republic, the aggressor is trying to cut us off from the border," Valery Bolotov told a news conference.
"We are still maintaining the corridor in order to be able to evacuate people, but the enemy is trying to stop us doing this. The Ukrainian army is getting ready for a sweeping mopping-up of Luhansk," he said.