On July 16, Russian forces significantly expanded their control near Omelnik in the Zaporozhye region last week and are systematically "repelling" Ukrainian armed forces from this settlement, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS.
In the past week, we have significantly expanded the control area in the northwest of the Omelnik settlement. A systematic tightening process against the enemy is taking place here," Andrey Marochko said.
Mr. Marochko also noted that Russian forces are particularly successful in advancing in the Novoselovka and Verkhnyaya Tersa areas. Omelnik is about 13km from Orekhov, a heavily defended area of importance to Kiev.
Russian forces have also approached some positions of Ukrainian armed forces in the direction of Slavyansk, Donetsk regional leader Denis Pushilin said in an interview with TASS.
Slavyansk itself is located in low ground compared to the positions we are currently approaching," Mr. Pushilin said.
