Kiev, Feb 8 (IANS): A top Ukrainian official has said that Russian troops were being sent to the war-torn nation's eastern region as part of an offensive planned by Moscow on February 15.

On Tuesday, Serhiy Haidai, Governor of the eastern Luhansk region, said that "we are seeing more and more reserves being deployed in our direction", reports the BBC.

Almost a year into Moscow's ongoing invasion, an estimated 300,000 Russian reserve troops have been recruited in recent months in an attempt to break through Ukraine's front lines in the east.

Capturing the key city of Bakhmut could enable Russian forces to press on towards the bigger cities of Kramatorsk and Slovyansk.

Haidai further claimed that the Russians' two-month training period was coming to an end and Moscow would need around 10 days to transfer them to the front for a new offensive.

He suggested that in Luhansk region they would target the three towns of Bilohorivka, Kreminna and Svatove, the BBC reported.

The Governor's claims comes as Ukraine has been warning of an imminent Russian offensive that could begin on February 24, marking the first anniversary of Moscow's invasion.