Russian forces have taken control of 60% of the town of Rubizhne in Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region, which has suffered heavy shelling across its territory for the past 24 hours, Luhansk Governor Serhiy Gaidai said on Wednesday.

"Sixty percent of Rubizhne is controlled by the Russians," Gaidai said in an online post, accusing a former official of assisting the Russian forces by handing over information.

Gaidai said Russian forces had carried out 81 mortar, artillery and rocket strikes across the region over the past day. Reuters could not independently verify the information.