LUGANSK, August 15. /TASS/. Russia has advanced near the settlement of Stavki in the Donetsk People's Republic, while the Ukrainian army is building defenses on this sector of the front, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS.

"In the course of active liberation actions over the past day, the Russian Armed Forces have advanced towards the settlement of Stavki from western positions near Kolodezi and Mirny in the Donetsk People's Republic," he said.

The military expert added that the Ukrainian army is increasing its forces in this area in an attempt to stabilize the front line. Ukrainian troops have also begun to retrofit positions and defensive lines in Drobyshevo.

"By the nature of the enemy's actions, it can be concluded that this particular settlement [Drobyshevo] is being prepared by the armed forces of Ukraine for being a kind of an outpost, since it is located on a hill and has a number of other advantages for conducting defensive operations," Marochko said.

On August 13, Marochko told TASS that the Russian military had knocked out the Ukrainian army from Kolodezi, and fighting was currently taking place outside the village.