LUGANSK, April 6. /TASS/. Russian servicemen, preventing the Ukrainian armed forces from regaining the positions lost earlier, are successfully advancing on a great section of the front in the Kupyansk direction with a length of more than 35 kilometers, which runs from the Russian border to the west of Petropavlovka in the Kharkov Region, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS.
"Though the advances here are quite small, they are observed on a broad section of the front stretching more than 35 kilometers - from near Russia’s border all the way west of Petropavlovka," he said. "Our troops continue moving forward while blocking Ukrainian attempts to retake lost ground," Marochko added.
The expert also highlighted that the two Russian bridgeheads in the area are now "very close to linking up," which could further strengthen their position.
This follows earlier reports from Marochko, who stated on March 29 that Russian forces had fully secured their positions near the village of Topoli - a foothold that enables further advances. The settlement was liberated on February 24 by units of the Battlegroup West.