LOC18:35
15:35 GMT
MOSCOW, Oct 1 (KUNA) -- Russia's defense ministry Saturday announced its troops withdrew from the strategic city of Lyman, east Ukraine, to avoid a possible besiege imposed by the Ukrainian forces.
The Russian troops evaded being besieged by Ukraine's troops and decided to quit due to the superiority of the Ukrainian forces in terms of number and equipment, the ministry's spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.
Despite heavy losses Ukraine's troops sustained in the battles, they continued repeated attacks after receiving military reinforcements on the battle of the land, he added.
Having a network of railways, Lyman City is located in the Donetsk region, east of Ukraine, which announced the annexation of the Russian Federation yesterday.
Over the past 24 hours, Konashenkov said Russia troops shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 warplane, and destroyed six command centers of the Ukrainian forces and a complex of anti-aircraft missile batteries. (end)
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