"A group of forces of the Donetsk People's Republic has liberated the city of Volnovakha. The settlements of Olginka, Veliko-Anadol, Zeleny Gai were also taken under control. The advance in depth was up to 6 kilometres", Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
He also noted that the people's militia is tightening the encirclement around the city of Mariupol.
At the same time, the Russian military, continuing offensive operations, has reached the Petrovskoye-Evgenovka-Oktyabrskaya line, advancing 17 kilometres, the MoD stated.
Servicemen from the Donetsk People's Republic militia are pictured on a military vehicle in the village of Nikolaevka, Donetsk region, DPR.
© Sputnik / Viktor Antonyk
/ The DPR and LPR militia have advanced considerably in Donbass since Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on 24 February. The special operation was launched by Moscow after Ukranian attacks in Donbass prompted mass evacuations of civilians, forcing Donetsk and Lugansk to appeal to Russia for aid.
The Russian forces have been targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure with precision weapons. According to the MoD, a total of 3,213 military objects have been disabled since the op began.
The list of destroyed Ukrainian vehicles includes "98 aircraft, 118 unmanned aerial vehicles, 1,041 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 113 multiple launch rocket systems, 389 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 843 units of special military vehicles", Moscow says.
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