MOSCOW, December 1. /TASS/. Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has congratulated the command and personnel of the units that participated in the liberation of Volchansk in the Kharkov Region, the ministry said.

"Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov congratulated the command and personnel of the 69th Guards Motorized Rifle of the Krasnoselskaya Order of Lenin, the Red Banner Division, the 72nd Motorized Rifle Division, the 1009th Motorized Rifle Regiment and the 128th Motorized Rifle Brigade on the liberation of the village of Volchansk, Kharkov Region," it said in a statement said.

"Continuing your victorious offensive, you have liberated from the enemy the village of Volchansk, Kharkov Region, whose liberation creates conditions for the advancement of the entire group of troops. I congratulate you on your success," Belousov's telegram says.

Earlier, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that on the evening of November 30 Vladimir Putin visited one of the command posts of the United Group of Forces, where he received reports, including on the liberation of the towns of Krasnoarmeysk in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Volchansk in the Kharkov Region.