LUGANSK, February 19. /TASS/. Russian troops, having liberated Krinichnoye in the Zaporozhye Region, regained control over a number of fortified areas of the Ukrainian army and advanced into the enemy's defenses by half a kilometer, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS.

"Having liberated Krinichnoye, our troops are expanding their zone of control: several more fortified areas have been captured beyond the railway line, and a mopping up operation is underway in the woodland along a wide section of the front. They have already penetrated by about 500 meters deep into the enemy's defenses over the past 24 hours," he said. The expert believes that, given the operational and tactical situation in this area, Russian forces will continue denting the enemy defenses at Krinichnoye.

On February 14, Marochko told TASS that Russian forces, having advanced in the Gulyaipole direction, had taken control of about 5 km of the railway line between Staroukrainka and Tsvetkovoye.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced the liberation of Krinichnoye on February 18.