Russian Forces Rout Ukrainian Troops in Donetsk, Military Expert Claims

LUGANSK, June 22. /TASS/. Russian forces crushed the larger part of Ukrainian troops in Konstantinovka and Krasny Liman (called Liman by Ukraine) in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past week, military expert Andrey Marochko said.

During the past week, the Ukrainian military reduced the number of counterattacks due to the Russian army’s strikes and concentrated its efforts on holding its positions. The Ukrainian defenses collapsed in some frontline sectors, he said.

"The operational-tactical situation has deteriorated considerably for Ukrainian militants in Krasny Liman and Konstantinovka. In these communities, the larger part of Ukrainian army units has been surrounded and routed," Marochko said on his VKontakte social media account, giving an analysis of the Russian Defense Ministry’s data.

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported earlier that its Battlegroup West had liberated 251 buildings and seized 37 enemy strongholds in Krasny Liman over the week.

In Konstantinovka, assault groups of Russia’s Battlegroup South are engaged in street battles. Russian troops have gained full control of the city’s eastern part and approached its northeastern outskirts. In the city’s southwestern part and on the premises of the Konstantinovka metals plant, Russian troops are destroying the encircled enemy forces. Russian assault groups are steadily advancing in the city’s neighborhood Novosyolovka, the ministry reported.