MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. The Ukrainian armed forces are forming striking forces in the city of Chasov Yar in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Acting Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Denis Pushilin said.

"Chasov Yar is an important city in the Artyomovsk area, where the enemy is forming reserves and some striking forces, judging by the amount of equipment that we see there. This is why we are trying to keep the situation under control there as well, reducing the reserves that the enemy is sending in large numbers in order to keep its hold on Artyomovsk," he told the Rossiya-24 TV channel on Monday.

Andrey Marochko, an officer with the Lugansk People’s Republic’s (LPR) People’s Militia, said in October that the Ukrainian Emergencies Ministry’s units had left the city of Chasov Yar that remained under Kiev’s control. Marochko noted in late September, citing LPR intelligence agencies, that the command post of the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine had been withdrawn from Chasov Yar due to ongoing losses, including among its officers.