LUGANSK, August 3. /TASS/. The command of the Ukrainian armed forces pulled units from Chasov Yar to the third line of defense and is preparing for battles in Kostiantinovka of the Donetsk People's Republic, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS.

"The loss of Chasov Yar was a serious blow to the reputation of Ukrainian militants. <...> There are currently local clashes in the western outskirts of Chasov Yar. The enemy is also trying to hold its positions northeast of Nikolayevka, in a wooded area, but they still had to leave the settlement itself and redeploy forces and resources to the third and second lines of defense. Serious preparations are underway in this area to defend Kostiantinovka," he said.

The military expert specified that engineering units of the Ukrainian armed forces are operating near Kostiantinovka, and that Kiev is also pulling additional forces and resources to the city.

Marochko added that after the loss of Chasov Yar, the moral and psychological state of the Ukrainian troops who took part in the battles for the city "is at an extremely low level, since they do not understand why they are following the thoughtless orders of the command."

On July 31, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the liberation of Chasov Yar. The battles for the city lasted for more than a year. It was one of the most powerful fortified areas of the Ukrainian armed forces in Donbass due to the complexity of the landscape and the peculiarities of the buildings and infrastructure.